


Welcome to the World of Persona

by Mage_Ellie



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, Blood, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Isekai, Original Character(s), Original Palace Rulers, Original Personas, Persona 5 Spoilers, Romance, Slow Burn, Swearing, Violence, cooking professional, friends - Freeform, giving Goro the love he deserves, mature themes, mini text conversations because i like writing them, stan makoto, tags may change as I write more chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:56:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 182,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27117124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mage_Ellie/pseuds/Mage_Ellie
Summary: One moment, you're falling asleep in your bed in the sunny state of California, USA. The next thing you know, you're waking up alone in an unfamiliar apartment in the middle of Tokyo, Japan. You never could've imagined the friendships you would make, or the feelings that would blossom for the conniving detective during your stay in the Persona universe. Everything about your stay seemed a little too convenient. It was like something, or someone, was trying to force you into the plot.-Note: All sensitive, potentially triggering, and NSFW scenes will have warnings placed before them in case you'd rather skip them!
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Reader, Akechi Goro/Reader, Akechi Goro/You
Comments: 585
Kudos: 357





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Book, book, book, book, book, book, book.
> 
> Key because I'm changing some things:  
> Y/N = Your name. Will also be used when referring to your first name  
> L/N = Last name  
> N/N = Nick name  
> Italics = Readers thought  
> Bold italics = Special voices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've suddenly awoken in a place you've never seen before. What's going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear authors of My Hero(s), Victim of the Sands of time (also At Infinity's End), Martyr and A Palace Made of Lies,
> 
> You all gave me inspiration to start my own book. Please don't stop writing ;; I love your stories ♡

**_My my. Who might you be? You don't belong here, do you child? Be that as it may, you are welcome to stay. Adding another player to the game could be interesting. However, I must warn you, tread carefully through this world. One wrong step could prove fatal..._ **

**April 10th. Sunday. Morning**

**Beep. Beep.**

_Ugh._

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

Sluggishly, you blindly reached over to your phone on the nightstand next to your bed to turn off your alarm. The night before had been rough for you, in a way. You had spent nearly 3 hours filling out applications for scholarships for multiple colleges, even though you were only a senior in high school. While filling out scholarship forms doesn't sound that difficult, it was definitely tedious and repetitive. By the time you were done, your brain felt like mush, simple tasks like brushing your teeth and remembering to breathe gave you a headache.

Taking a deep breath, you began rubbing your eyes. _Huh?_ Your bedsheets smelled weirdly fresh. While you had recently washed them, they didn't smell like your laundry detergent. They smelled new, like they hadn't been slept in before.

 _Didn't mom say she would be cooking breakfast this morning?_ The sleepy fog that covered your mind was slowly lifting. _My room isn't that far from the kitchen. Has she just not started yet?_ You loved your mothers cooking, so you were hoping that she'd start cooking soon.

You couldn't help but think that maybe you were just delirious from your exhaustion. Your dream during the night had definitely been strange, so maybe it wasn't that weird that you were smelling things.

 _What was that dream?_ It had felt like the world beneath you was spinning, and yet, you were frozen in place at the same time. You felt like your body was being chained down but, your heart felt so free. _That voice, it sounded so familiar..._ You've definitely heard it before, but from where? It was on the tip of your tongue, but just barely out of reach. _Adding another player to the game? Tread carefully?_

Your mother always told you that eating spicy things before you went to bed would give you weird dreams, it seems like she was right because that was by far the strangest dream you've ever had. Maybe eating chips and salsa wasn't a good bedtime snack.

Finally, you lifted the bedsheet and comforter that were covering your head and sat up. One look around the sunlit room sent an icy chill quickly down your spine. A sudden and uncontrollable urge to scream ripped through your body as you took in the unfamiliar surroundings around you. _This definitely isn't my room._

You slowly reached over to the phone on the nightstand once again. _This definitely isn't my iPhone._ _It looks like some kind of Android? Maybe not._ You've never seen this model before.

Turning it on, you quickly took notice of all of the notifications. Nearly a dozen emails, a handful of text messages and three missed phone calls. All from numbers and emails you don't recognize. _Why is everything in Japanese?_ _Thank you Grandma for convincing me to study Japanese instead of Spanish._

The overwhelming urge to laugh and lay back down and try to go back to sleep took over you. So you did just that, a dry chuckle leaving your lips. You laid your head back on the fresh scented pillow and closed your eyes, hoping that you could fall back asleep. Hoping that when you opened your eyes again, you'd be back home, in your bed, and that this would all just be some weird dream.

No matter how long you kept your eyes shut, sleep just wouldn't come to you. Your mind raced with possibilities as to why you were here, what was possibly going on.

 _How long have I been lying in bed, trying to fall back asleep? 20 minutes? An hour?_ You took a peek at the phone that definitely wasn't yours. _No. It's been 5 minutes._

A horrific sense of dread washed over you as the realization began to sink in. You weren't dreaming. Somehow, someway, you were in what seemed to be Japan. At least that's what you guessed, considering the language of your phone. You wouldn't be able to confirm it until you actually got out of bed and looked around. _Have I been drugged and kidnapped? If so, why was I given a completely new phone? Am I alone?_

After taking a few deep breaths so you didn't start having a panic attack, you slipped out of bed, a quiet yelp leaving your mouth when your feet touched the cold hardwood floor of the unfamiliar bedroom. That's not something you were happy about. You immediately began to miss the soft carpet that covered your bedroom floor back in California.

Silently, you twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. A small hallway led to what looked like a living room and kitchen area. On your left was an open door. On the inside, there was a little nook between the door and the room that the bathtub and shower was, where a 2 in 1 laundry machine sat. Across from it sat the toilet and sink. On your right was a closed door, you assumed it was probably an extra closet. 

_It looks like I'm alone... in what seems to be an apartment? Is it legal for me, a 17 year old, possibly foreign girl, to live in an apartment alone?_

Taking a deep breath, you stepped out of your bedroom and into the hall, slowly making your way towards the large room at the end. Just like you had thought, it was a living room with a connected kitchen area. In the living room was a large sliding glass door that led to a fire escape area. On the back wall, by the entrance to the hallway, sat a decently large desk with a single laptop sitting on top of it.

You wondered where exactly this apartment was located. _Am I in Tokyo? Or maybe Kyoto?_ The apartment looked brand new, you weren't sure if anyone had lived in this space before you 'moved' in. 

As your eyes swept across the space you were now living in, a tan manila folder caught your attention. It was sitting on the edge of the kitchen table, a few papers sticking out of the top. Your feet quickly carried you to the folder, desperately hoping for some answers. Plopping yourself in one of the chairs that surrounded the kitchen table, you opened the folder.

The paper at the top of the small stack of papers inside the folder was the contract to your apartment. Apparently, your 3rd floor apartment was situated in the bustling ward of Shibuya, Tokyo. It took all of your self control not to slam your head against the kitchen table. _Shibuya? Seriously?_ If you remembered correctly, Shibuya was one of the most densely populated areas of Tokyo and not only that, but rent was super expensive. Your rent was about ¥180,000 a month, which equaled around $1,707. Questions immediately flooded your mind. _Who's paying my rent? Are my parents helping me pay? Or am I on my own?_

Those questions were also answered as you continued to read through the contract. You paid for it. Alone. _Hahahahaha. How fun._ This time, you didn't stop yourself from letting your head hit the table, a loud, depressed groan escaping your lips as you did so. _Does this mean I'll have to find a job? How did I even get this apartment in the first place?_ You weren't sure if any of the places around here would hire a foreigner. You understood that Japanese people tended to be more cautious when it came to foreigners like you. Americans have been known to be stubborn and ignorant when it came to other countries cultures.

The next paper in the stack was an enrollment application to some prestigious high school called Ichiryu Academy. You couldn't say you've heard of it, but apparently, you've managed to snag a full ride scholarship to the school thanks to your more than perfect grades and achievements. _Achievements?_ You were bilingual, that's the only thing you could consider an achievement.

However, you understood when it came to your grades. You worked incredibly hard to keep a 5.0 GPA, thanks to all of the AP (advanced placement) classes you took, as well as the college classes you took at your local university. You didn't mean to brag when it came to your grades, you just had no social life.

Another thing you noticed on the enrollment application was a date. April 11th was the day that school started up again. That was tomorrow. A cold sweat began to form on your back as you stood from the chair you had been sitting in and sprinted back to your bedroom. In one swift motion, you had both doors to your closet open. Sitting neatly on hangers, were 3 familiar looking tan peacoats, and about 7 black skirts. _These peacoats..._ _The school symbol sewn onto the left breast pocket. They almost look like the school uniform that Goro Akechi would wear in the video game Persona 5._ You weren't sure if you were excited or scared. _Have I been brought into the world of Persona? No. Obviously not. That's impossible. Haha._

A dry chuckle escaped your lips as you whispered a single, "Fuck," and pulled out the school uniform. Laying it on your bed, you did your best to deny what was clearly in front of you. _That's definitely the same uniform that the Ace Detective Prince would wear. Maybe it's just a coincidence? Maybe Atlus had just taken the idea from Ichiryu Academy for Akechi's outfit? Or maybe the high school stole the detectives iconic suit?_

 _Is that what the voice in my dream meant when it talked about 'another player'?_ You knew that Akira or Ren, and Akechi were considered the two tricksters. _Did that voice mean that I would be a trickster as well?_ You honestly hoped that you wouldn't be a trickster. _If I truly have been brought into the Persona universe, I can't interfere with the plot. Right?_

Slowly, you stumbled back to your kitchen table, and took out the next few pieces of papers. They were all forms and stuff about your residency in Japan, and how you could apply to be a full citizen if you could get a letter of recommendation from your school principal or something along those lines. You were just skimming the papers for the most part. Your mind was struggling to comprehend the fact that there was a possibility that you had been sucked into a video game universe, and the gnawing in your stomach was also making it difficult to concentrate.

To your surprise, there was actually food in your fridge. Well, technically there was only a carton of half a dozen eggs, but you thought it was good enough for now. Looking through the kitchen cabinets, you found that you only had a few different spices. Thankfully, you had salt and pepper, so you wouldn't just be eating bland eggs for breakfast. 

After whipping yourself up a few sunny side up eggs, you began to go through your phone while you ate. There were a few social media apps, a weather app, a GPS and what looked to be a banking app. No Meta nav in sight. It took you a moment to figure out your login information for the banking app, and for the millionth time this morning, you were surprised. Apparently, whatever deity that brought you here had given you enough money to pay rent for the next few months as well as pay for groceries, maybe you could even buy a few knick knacks to spice up your living space. You would have to get a job eventually, but with the money you had now, it would give you enough time to find a job that you would be good at.

You also took the opportunity to look through your emails and text messages. They were all from different schools around Tokyo, asking if you'd be interested in being an English tutor at their school. Some even offered to pay you, not much, but it was a start. _Maybe it wouldn't be that difficult to find a job after all._ You assumed that the missed phone calls were from principals or counselors who wanted to ask if you would be interested in tutoring for them.

Deciding to look into these offers more later, you washed the plate and pan you had used and went back to your bedroom to get dressed. You needed to go grocery shopping before the day ended, plus, it would probably be a good idea to explore a bit, familiarize yourself with the area.

The Ichiryu Academy uniform fit you perfectly. It took you a moment to find your undergarments and gloves, turns out they were in the dresser that the TV sat on. _W_ _ho would've guessed?_ You sighed through your nose at your minor lapse in judgement.

Walking into your bathroom, you stared at yourself in the mirror and pondered once again. _W_ _hat the fuck is happening?_

Making your way back to your kitchen area, you thought about what to buy. Being the amazing cook that you were, you quickly wrote down some ingredients on a pad of paper you found in one of the kitchen drawers. Thankfully, you found a debit card in the manila folder which you could use for making payments. Once you had your wallet, phone and key, you made your way out of your apartment, anxiety filling you to the brim.

You immediately became self conscious once you stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby of the apartment complex you lived in. It was beautifully furnished and there were two wealthy looking businessmen sitting at the chairs by the entrance. Their eyes snapped to you as you walked through the lobby, obviously judging you. It wasn't surprising though. You hummed a, "Good morning" as you swiftly walked past them and through the entrance. 

Pulling out your phone and going to the GPS app, you began looking for the nearest grocery store. It was about a 5 minute walk from your apartment thankfully. You also noticed that the nearest subway station was also about a 5 minute walk from your apartment. _Talk about lucky! These are great travel times._

As you made your way to the grocery store, you couldn't help but panic a bit due to the amount of people around you. You made a conscious effort to straighten your back and square your shoulders in an attempt to look like you knew what you were doing, and not just some lost high school kid.

Finally, the grocery store was in sight. Despite the amount of people, it didn't look like it was that busy. Everyone around you were probably just employees trying to get to work or travelers exploring the city. However, before you could make your way inside, you stepped on something soft, and whatever that soft thing was yowled. _Shit._

You quickly looked down at the poor creature you stepped on, only to freeze. Those bright, piercing blue eyes. The white muzzle. The white paws and tail tip. The yellow collar around its neck. _Morgana._ _Fuck._

"Ah! I'm so sorry kitty!" You gasped, hoping that he wouldn't notice that you recognized him. You bent down and reached your hand out slowly. Morgana had his back arched and his tail was puffed up, he was angry. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to step on you." His back lowered and he brought his nose to your hand to sniff it. "Aww. Cutie. What are you doing out here alone? You have a collar, does that mean you have an owner?" _Bingo._ Morgana pushed his head into your hand once you called him a cutie. He just meowed in response. _I can't understand him. Good. That's a good thing. Right?_

"Hmm. I feel bad just leaving you out here on your own with so many people around... but I can't take you with me." You tried to make it look like you were contemplating taking him with you or not. Acting was never your strong suit, but you could get by. 

Morgana just meowed and walked closer to you. _God he's adorable._ You gently rubbed his cheeks and cooed at him for a bit before getting up. "I'm sorry cutie, but I have to go. Stay safe okay?" You told him before walking off. _He'll be fine._

The moment you got into the grocery store, you hunted down the restrooms. When you finally got yourself in a stall, you sat on the toilet and tried not to hyperventilate. _I really have been brought into the world of Persona. How the fuck did this happen?_

It took you nearly 20 minutes before you had calmed down enough to leave the restroom. By the time you were standing at the check out line, you were exhausted. It was barely noon and you were ready to go back to sleep. The cashier was fairly friendly at least, meaning you left the grocery store in a decent mood, only to run into him.

 _Morgana waited for me? Why?_ Once the peppy cat noticed you, he hopped onto his paws and trotted towards you, meowing the whole way. Your heart melted at the sight of him. _How precious._

He pawed at the bag full of food that you were carrying. _Ah, that makes sense. He's hungry._

"You're still here? Are you hungry?" You asked as you reached down to pet his soft kitty head. He purred and pushed his face into your hand. You had bought some salmon that you were planning on making for breakfast for the next few days, but you supposed that he could have one of them instead.

"Alright. Alright. Come over here." You said as you walked towards an alleyway. Digging through the bag a bit, you found one of the small salmon steaks and unwrapped it for him. Morgana immediately began devouring the fish. _Poor thing. You must be starving from roaming through the Metaverse all day._

"Well. I should head home. Bye bye kitty." He looked up at you as you spoke and began to turn away from him, hoping he wouldn't follow you. You weren't sure if feeding him would impact the story in any way and you were beginning to worry that it would. _Maybe he gets captured at Kamoshida's palace because he's too weak from hunger to keep fighting. That doesn't make a lot of sense, considering he'll be able to fight along side Joker when they escape, but you never know._ Your worry was beginning to overwhelm you.

Thankfully, Morgana just continued eating as you walked off. You weren't sure if you'd survive the rest of the day, considering how you immediately ran into one of the soon to be Phantom Thieves. _How am I supposed to 'tread carefully' if I'm being forced to go to the same school as Akechi, as well as run into all of the important characters?_ Well, you've only run into one so far, but you knew you'd end up running into the others eventually. _Did whatever being that brought me here want me to meet them?_

After stocking up your kitchen with food for the next few days, you decided to take a small nap, then you'd take the subway and try to figure out how to get to Ichiryu Academy. You hoped that you wouldn't run into any more important characters. Once you were in the final stages of falling asleep, that voice from your dream seemed to whisper in your ear. _Yalda...b...?_

**_I... stabilize our... will never... able... to face... accept... reality._ **

You were too tired to focus on his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, Ichiryu means prestigious in Japanese. I tried to do some research on possible high schools that the reader could go to but I wasn't having any luck finding any. 
> 
> Also since Atlus never tells us which high school Akechi goes to, I thought i'd just make something up :)


	2. Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After your much needed nap, you took the nearest subway to your school. However, it seems as though you were bound to run into more familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know school hasn't started yet for reader-chan but idk how else to explain the time of day. It's after 'noon' but before 'evening'. So 'after school' made the most sense to put ;;
> 
> Also, i'm 5'1 irl so reader chan will also be 5'1ish. It's easier for me to write about someone my own height :')

**April 10th. Sunday. Afternoon.**

_Did I hear someone before I fell asleep? Or was I imagining that?_ You thought as you rubbed the sleep from your eyes.

That nap was definitely needed. You had fallen asleep at around 12:30 P.M. and woke up at 3:30 P.M. While your mind was still a jumbled mess from the events that had already transpired today, your body felt like it had regained some much needed strength.

After taking a moment to wash your face and reapply your makeup, you left your apartment once again. Thankfully, those businessmen from earlier weren't around, so you didn't feel so anxious while leaving your apartment.

According to the trusty GPS on your phone, your commute to school would take around 30 minutes by subway. Not that bad, but you had to transfer lines twice, which didn't sound too thrilling. You prayed to the false God that you wouldn't get trapped on one of the busy subway cars and miss your stop because some stubborn adult wouldn't scoot over so you could leave.

The walk to the station wasn't that bad, but the moment you got inside, everything got a million times worse. There were people everywhere. It was so crowded that you could barely breathe, being short didn't help either. You were easily pushed around by the crowd.

When you finally reached your train platform, you breathed a sigh of relief. While the waiting area was still crowded, it wasn't nearly as bad as before. At least you weren't being pushed around any more.

However, your relief didn't last long. High pitched squealing suddenly erupted from the other end of the waiting platform and an almost overwhelming sense of dread came over you. The only thing you could think of at the moment was, _Please don't be Akechi. Please don't be Akechi. PLEASE._ Your heart could only handle so much.

"Excuse me! I don't mean to bother you, but are you headed to Ichiryu Academy as well?" _Fuck._ You thought that his voice was angelic, sultry even. You could understand why all of the girls fawned over him.

It took all of your strength to look at Goro Akechi and good lord, he was gorgeous in real life. His skin was perfectly smooth. His hair was delicately framing is face. The scent of his cologne made your knees weak. His soft, unassuming smile would've had you blushing if you didn't know that it was all just a façade. You hoped that you wouldn't have to interact with him for long. While you loved him as a character, you didn't want to get too close to him. You knew who he truly was. He was dangerous.

You looked at him up and down, pretending to notice that he was wearing the same uniform as you. "Oh! Yes I am." _Please don't think that I recognized you._ An inquisitive look blossomed in his gorgeous russet eyes. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. _Welp._

"Would it be alright if I joined you then?" _Why? Why did he want to join me? Well, I can't complain. He can show me the way to the school, make sure I don't get lost._

With a slight nod, you answered, "I don't mind. It'll be nice to go with someone who actually knows the way to the school." A nervous giggle escaped your lips. Akechi cocked his eyebrow slightly at your reaction to him.

"Oh I'm sorry. Am I making you nervous?" The little head tilt he did while asking that question made your stomach squirm. His Princely persona was extremely impressive.

"Only a little, I wasn't expecting a stranger to approach me out of no where like this, but knowing that you know the way to the school is a bit relieving. To tell you the truth, this is my first day in Tokyo. My move here was so sudden. One moment I'm falling asleep in California, and the next I'm waking up here in Tokyo." He made you more than a little nervous, but it might be best to keep that to yourself. You almost cringed at the end of your response, you felt like you were ranting a bit. It's not like he would care.

He laughed a bit, his TV laugh. He definitely didn't care and to be completely honest, you felt relieved. _As cute as he is, I should try not to interact with him too much. Maybe after today, he would leave me alone._ "That's understandable. The change must've been drastic. By the way, I'm Goro Akechi. I'm a third year. It's a pleasure to meet you." He did a little bow as he introduced himself. A smile that didn't quite reach his eyes crawled onto his face. The more you observed him, the more obvious it became to you that he was fake. Well, of course you knew he was fake, but it took a bit for you to notice how fake his mannerisms were. Everything, even down to the way he breathed, seemed practiced. Like he had sat in his apartment in front of a mirror for hours, rehearsing basic gestures in order to get them perfect.

You gave him your best attempt at a smile back, though, it probably looked more like a grimace. "I'm Y/N L/N, third year. It's a pleasure to meet you as well Akechi-kun." 

Before he could say any more, your subway had arrived. Akechi, being the gentleman that he was, protected you from the wave of sleep deprived adults that flooded from the subway car and helped you squeeze into the car with him. While you weren't thrilled about the fact that you had to deal with Akechi, you couldn't be more thankful to have him around at the moment. Having to deal with the subway ride alone would've have been absolutely terrifying. 

The ride to the school was definitely awkward. Your back was forcefully pressed up against Akechi by some businessman who was definitely staring at your chest. Akechi must have noticed this because he leaned over and whispered, "Turn around," into your ear. The feeling of his breath against your ear made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It took all of your strength to suppress the shudder that rippled down your body. 

You turned so that your chest was facing away from the man and Akechi lifted his briefcase so that it was covering your bottom. Your heartbeat skyrocketed as you pressed your front into the detective. Hopefully he couldn't feel your heartbeat. _Huh. Maybe he really is a kind person deep down. Or maybe this was just a Princely act._

Finally, your stop had arrived and you two quickly slipped through the crowd of people who got off. While walking to your next subway line, you took slow, deep breaths. Trying to slow your rapidly beating heart. It was only your first day on the subways and you had already experienced a creepy man. _Fantastic._

"Thank you." Your voice came out so small. You wondered if he had even heard you, but you noticed him turn his head a bit from the corner of your eye. "I really appreciate it." He fully turned his head towards you when you spoke that time, but you didn't have the strength to look at him. If you had it your way, you would go to sleep and never wake up again when you got back to your apartment.

The second subway ride was much more relaxed. There weren't as many people on it and you two even managed to grab seats. Akechi didn't attempt to converse with you, which you were kind of glad about. While you weren't super happy that you were spending time with him, you didn't want to give him half-assed responses or seem dismissive. That would've just been rude.

The third subway ride was much the same, only this time you were standing next to him. A soft sigh coming from him made you look up at him. For only a split second, he showed just how tired he was. His eyes were glazed over and he seemed to be staring at nothing in particular in the distance. He quickly covered it up with a neutral expression and looked down at you. If you hadn't been so aware of the detectives presence beside you, you definitely wouldn't have noticed his sigh.

"Long day?" You asked, you wouldn't pry, but you thought you'd ask. His lips twitched upwards ever so slightly into a smile. "Long day." He confirmed with a nod and you left it at that. A soft pinging sound from your phone caused you to look away from him. It was an email from the Ichiryu Principal. Apparently, she wanted you to head to the school so that she could talk to you about your enrollment and stuff. _Well, alright._ You did your best to come up with a mildly enthusiastic reply, saying that you were already on your way, having wanted to check out the campus and possibly meet your teachers.

When the subway car came to a stop, you both stepped out onto the waiting platform. There weren't many people now, but surely there'd be more tomorrow once school got out. Akechi led you to the escalators and out of the underground subway station. The school was a short walk from the station, which delighted you to no end. You really got lucky when it came to travel times. Your apartment was close to the grocery store and the nearest underground subway station. Plus, your commute was only around 30 minutes long and the walk from the station to school only took a few minutes. You almost wanted to thank whoever brought you into this world. Almost.

"Well, here we are." Akechi spoke up as you rounded a corner and into the school courtyard. The main school building was massive and well taken care of. There were a few students littered here and there. "Before I leave you to your own devices, is there anywhere in particular in the school that you're headed? I could give you directions." He probably felt obligated to ask that. You were almost sure that he hoped you would say no.

Apparently, you took too long to answer him because he chuckled. "I don't mind giving you directions. I know I said I've had a long day, but it's obvious that you have too. I'd like to make this trip a bit easier for you if at all possible." _Damn. Did he just read my mind?_

"I suppose that directions to the principals office couldn't hurt." You responded, a little relieved that you wouldn't have to wander around the school like a child lost in a store. 

"Take the stairs to the top floor, her office is on the far right once you get there." Akechi said while pointing to a sliding glass door and balcony on the fourth floor. _How extravagant._

"Thank you for helping me today. If I could ever do anything to help you, don't hesitate to let me know. I'll see you tomorrow?" _Oh goodness. Why did I say that? He's going to think that I want to hang out with him again or something._

"Of course. See you tomorrow." He responded with a small wave and turned away from you to head to a different part of the school.

After entering the building, you quickly found one of the restrooms and took a moment alone to breathe. You didn't want to admit it, but being around Akechi like that did funny things to your heart. You had just been so close to one of the most attractive members of the P5 cast. You had just been so close to Goro Akechi, a fictional video game character. You wanted to laugh so bad. _This is all so impossible._ _How long will I end up staying here, in the persona universe?_

The walk up the stairs to the principals office wasn't anything special. You passed by a few students who were obviously talking about you. _Do people know about me already?_

Finally, you reached the principals office and knocked on her door. A commanding "Come in," from the opposite side of the door prompted you to open it and walk inside.

Her office made you tense. It was so cold, and bare. The clean white walls made you feel unwelcome and the white squared tile beneath your feet made her voice echo through the room. Everything was so white, it hurt your eyes. However, the most uncomforting thing in the room, were the three individuals sitting on a sofa in front of you.

"Y/N?!" A girl you were hoping you'd never have to deal with again said your name. Callie Bonin, a girl who's bullied you since middle school. She was wearing a small bow in her short brown hair. The large, brown glasses on her nose slid down a bit. Her big brown eyes were wide with surprise.

On her left was her younger sister, Brook. While Brook never directly bullied you, you knew that she would talk about you badly behind your back, even when you considered yourself to be friends with her. Her long, blonde dyed hair was tied up in a messy bun, a head band keeping her baby hairs from falling into her face. She looked just as shocked as her sister.

On Callie's right was your old best friend Kaylee Mora. You two weren't on the best of terms. You knew that she was part of the group that would speak badly about you behind your back. While she seemed to have stopped, you weren't sure if you could trust her again. Her long, thick black hair was loosely curled. Her large, near black eyes were blown wide, and her reddish colored lips were slightly parted.

_You've got to be kidding me. They're here too...?_

"Ah. L/N-san. It's good to finally meet you in person. Please come sit down. I am Jeana Victoria, the principal of Ichiryu Academy." Despite her cold outward aesthetic, the principal exuded confidence and pride. She clearly loved her job. Her English was impressive. There was no sign of an accent like most non-native English speakers had.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well Principal Victoria." You said with a soft smile as you made your way to the sofa, doing a little bow before you took a hesitant seat next to Kaylee. Principal Victoria seemed to be pleased with your response because she nodded her head towards you before speaking again.

"First and foremost, I'd like to congratulate you all on being accepted into our school. Each year, we hold a lottery for different countries to pick who we'll let study at our school, and all of your names were drawn during the American lottery. I'd like to give a special congratulations to you, L/N-san, for receiving a full ride scholarship." _Oh god. Why did she have to single me out?_ You felt a blush spread over your cheeks as you gave her a quick nod in response.

"Secondly, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that one of our classrooms will be dedicated to advanced English speakers and native English speakers. Meaning that all of the classes there will be taught in English, unless, you'd prefer to be in a Japanese speaking class." She waited a moment to see if anyone would speak up, and obviously, you did. You could always use more practice when it came to Japanese, plus, you'd rather not be stuck in class with them. "Actually ma'am, I'd like to be enrolled in the Japanese speaking classes please. It'll help me practice my fluency." You sat up straight as you spoke, your lower back was beginning to ache from the strain. Your posture has never been this good. A burning sensation began to itch at the side of your head as the girls sitting next to you stared at you, clearly surprised that you wanted to be in the Japanese speaking classes.

She nodded and typed something into her computer, the sound of her nails clicking against the keys echoed throughout the room. The printer on her desk turned on and began printing something. Once the printer stopped making sound, she reached over and took the papers. Lifting herself out of her chair, she rounded her desk and handed each of you a paper. 

"This is your class schedule. Your classes will all be held in the same room everyday, this just tells you when which subject will be taught." She explained. "It also has information about your personal locker, which is located by the entrance on the first floor. I don't feel like I need to explain why, but please do not trade or switch lockers. If you feel the need to change lockers for any reason, please come talk to me or one of the counselors." You all nodded your heads in understanding, though, you weren't sure why she felt the need to say that. _We shouldn't trade lockers because if someone were to get in trouble, their locker would be checked. Right?_

"Lastly, I'd like to speak with you all again tomorrow during the beginning of your lunch break. So, you're free to go, unless you have any questions." _Finally._ You were ready to get out of here. Quickly glancing to the side, the others kept their mouths shut, also seeming like they want to get out of here. "I think we're good." You put on your most pleasant smile as you spoke.

She nodded and bid you all a good day, gesturing towards the door to her office. Once on the outside, you all breathed a sigh of relief, but before they could say anything, you began swiftly walking towards the direction of the stairs in a moment of panic. You weren't ready to deal with them yet, even though you all had been suddenly sucked into a video game universe. You heard them scrambling behind you in order to catch up with you.

"What the hell, L/N? Wait up!" Callie said, annoyance laced her voice.

"So... What is going on?" Kaylee asked, clearly not as annoyed to have to speak with you as the other girl is.

"Where are we?" Brook asked.

You contemplated giving them a sarcastic answer, but you knew that wouldn't get you anywhere. However, you had no idea where to start. You slowed down enough so that they could catch up to you as you got to the stairs. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that. I'm not sure where to start."

Callie was the first one to speak up, her dark brown large rimmed glasses sliding down her nose as she spoke, "Why are we in the Persona 5 universe?" _Oh shit. She's played Persona 5? Is she another 'player' as well? Are we all 'players'?_

You sighed and just shook your head. "I have no clue. Last night, I fell asleep in my room in California, the next thing I know, I'm waking up alone in an apartment in the middle of Shibuya." You wouldn't tell them about your dream, for now.

"Useless." Callie whispered under her breath, even though she was walking down the stairs directly behind you.

"Sorry I'm not an all knowing God." You quipped as you turned your head to glare at her. This is exactly why you didn't want to deal with them yet.

Kaylee was quick to change the subject. "Apartment? We all live in the girls dorms not too far from here." You laughed a bit and grimaced.

"God I'd love to live in the dorms. You only have to pay a one time fee, right? I have to pay $1,700 in rent every month for a one bedroom, kitchen and living room apartment. My mom didn't even pay that much when renting her three bedroom, three bathroom house in Cali." You groaned, a soft hand patting you on the back. It was probably Kaylee. 

"Have you found a job yet?" Brook asked, though, you couldn't tell if she was asking because she worried about you or if she felt obligated to.

"No, however, I have been offered some jobs as an English tutor at some schools around Tokyo. None of them have offered me enough to be able to pay my rent though." You just went with it, at least it kept the conversation from turning sour. "By the way," You began as you turned and looked at them, now standing in the third floor hallway. "You guys don't have the Nav app, right?" Brook and Kaylee just looked confused, but Callie shook her head no. You couldn't stop the sigh that escaped your mouth. "Good. It's best that we don't get mixed up with the plot." Callie frowned as you looked directly at her while speaking. If anyone was going to mess with the story, it would be her, since she knew what would be happening.

"Obviously. We're not stupid." Callie said. You thought that was debatable, but you wouldn't call her out on that. Instead you just nodded and changed the subject.

"Well, I'm going to go look for my class, then explore the campus a bit. I'm sure you guys would like to do the same. Why don't we all take a few days to calm down before we talk about what's happening? I- I need some time to think." Kaylee and Brook nodded in agreement. They didn't know anything about the Persona universe, so you couldn't take too much time. They deserved answers.

After that, you turned and began walking down the hallway. It didn't take too long to find your classroom. Class 3-A, the farthest left classroom. You looked to see if anyone was inside, but it was empty. _Guess I'll have to meet my teachers tomorrow._

You took your time exploring the ginormous campus. You chatted a bit with the friendly librarian, perused through the aisles of vending machines in the cafeteria, figured out how to get onto the roof and wandered around the outside recreation area. There were a few sports teams having practice on the field.

By the time you made it back to the entrance, it was starting to get dark, however, before you could leave the campus, a familiar voice shouted to you.

"Y/N!" It was Kaylee. You turned towards her with a neutral expression. She looked so excited. "We just met the cutest boy!! His name was Goro Akechi and goddamn was he gorgeous. You have to meet him!" She fangirled. _Oh boy._

Callie laughed, "I don't know about you guys, but I thought he seemed pretty interested in me." _Oh dear._

"Mmm the way he looked at me when he talked though. He's definitely a total flirt." Brook gushed.

Something nauseating bubbled up inside of you. _Am I jealous? I can't be. I don't even really know the guy_. Not having the energy to deal with them, you just nodded. "Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him." You laughed a bit as you spoke, trying to keep up with them.

"Oh also, give us your number! We should probably stick together until we figure out a way home." Kaylee said nervously as she pulled her phone out of her breast pocket. You complied and took out your phone, exchanging ID's with the other girls. The four of you walked to the front entrance together before saying your goodbyes, and heading in separate directions.

The walk to the station was fairly peaceful. The station itself was almost completely empty, rush hour was long over, so you didn't have to worry about being crammed into a train car.

"Hello there." A velvety voice spoke up from behind you. You immediately recognized that voice. _Akechi._

You turned towards him and gave him a soft smile as you spoke, "Good evening Akechi-kun. I didn't think we'd run into each other again so soon."

He nodded and returned your smile with a practiced TV smile. "You almost sound disappointed. Is it really that bothersome to be around me?" He teased, although, you weren't sure if he was joking or not.

Your smile widened a bit though. "My dear knight in shining armor, you could never bother me." You retorted while placing a hand over your heart, referring to what happened earlier in the subway with him. That got him to chuckle a bit.

"May I ask what you're still doing here? I thought you would've left the school earlier." You couldn't help but agree with what he said. You thought you'd be home by 5 P.M., but it was almost 8 P.M. now. 

"I thought so too, but after the principal talked with us, I decided to wander around the campus for a bit to familiarize myself with its layout. I ended up walking around for a lot longer than I thought I would." You explained as you stared at the oncoming subway.

"Us? Are you referring to the other American foreign students? Are they friends of yours?" _Is this an interrogation?_ You looked at him for a moment before deciding on how you wanted to answer.

"They went to high school with me in California. We transferred here together." He must've been really tired, because he squinted his eyes, like he was analyzing your response, however, he didn't ask any more questions about the subject.

"What about you? Why are you out here so late?" You asked, just trying to keep the conversation going.

"I had to meet with some of my teachers to talk about school work. Due to how busy I am, I may end up missing a lot of school days, so I can't afford to get behind." Akechi explained as you both stepped onto your ride.

"Busy?" You questioned, looking up at him innocently. A look of surprise flashed across his face for a moment.

"Yes. I work full time as a detective. I often get busy with cases." _So he's not going to tell me he's famous? Interesting._

"Really?" Despite your tiredness, you tried your best to show some genuine interest in what he was telling you. "You're only a high schooler though. How'd you end up with a job as a detective?" He chuckled a bit, as he looked down at you.

"That's classified." He said simply, smiling down at you.

You scoffed, and feigned offense, putting a hand on your chest and grabbing a fist full of your coat, as if you'd been shot. "You wound me, Akechi-kun." Your act broke a bit as you laughed while saying his name. He lifted his hand and covered his mouth as he laughed. That was the first genuine thing you've seen him do.

However, you quickly became serious. "You're so young, and yet, I bet you've seen all sorts of things people our age shouldn't be seeing." Despite wanting to keep your distance, you couldn't help but worry for his mental health. You had a soft spot for him as a character in Persona 5, which seems to have carried its way into this world. _Poor guy._

He eyed you carefully for a moment before looking away. "I try not to dwell on those things." _Ouch._ You felt bad for him, although, he probably wouldn't want your pity.

For the rest of the train ride, you two stood in a semi awkward silence. You couldn't tell if he felt awkward, but you definitely did. Your brain ran a million miles a minute in an attempt to figure out what you could say in order to make things less awkward, or even to comfort him. 

The feeling of awkwardness became worse as you both transferred lines together. He stayed quiet, yet stuck by your side. You tried to take your mind off of it by going through your emails again. You haven't received any new ones, but you wanted to reread them to make sure you didn't miss anything. Now was a good enough time as any. Hopefully he didn't think that you were ignoring him because he admitted to having to deal with horrific things.

Your second and final transfer was approaching quickly and Akechi sighed, gaining your attention. "I hate to inform you, but this is where we split up." He began as he stood from the subway seat with you in tow. "I assume you'll be taking the Shibuya line? I'll be taking the train to Kichijoji." _Ah, the Jazz Club. Someday, I'll head over there for a visit._ The colorful drinks always looked so appealing to you. 

"Alright." You responded as you both walked out of the subway. Akechi stopped in the middle of the platform, probably planning on heading out of the left side instead of the right side like you. "Goodnight, L/N-san. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again tomorrow." He said with all the charm in the world. 

"By the way," You began, catching him off guard. "I meant what I said when we parted ways at the school entrance. Should you ever need anyone to vent to... I'm here for you." You said, choosing your words carefully. You almost felt obligated to say that, since you practically ignored him the entire train ride. You were mostly just worried about him. You had a heart. You couldn't just ignore what he was possibly going through.

Akechi chuckled a bit, "I'm sorry, but that's classified." You just smiled at him and repeated what you did a bit earlier, dramatically clutching your coat as if you'd just been shot.

"My dear knight, it seems as though you've misunderstood me. I'd be willing to sit through your vent, but I never said I would listen." You clarified, watching him to see how he'd react. His eyebrow quirked and his lip twitched upwards into an almost smile. He lifted a hand to his chin as he thought about your words, probably wondering what you meant by that. _Have I possibly intrigued the Ace Defective Prince?_ Before he could say more though, you laughed and said, "Well, I've got a date with my bed that I don't want to be late for. Goodnight, Akechi-kun." With that, you walked towards the escalators, feeling the detectives stare on the back of your head the entire way.

You collapsed the moment you got to your apartment, deciding to lay on the floor of your kitchen for a while in order to calm your nerves. While you didn't really want anything to do with Akechi, you couldn't stop yourself from caring about him. _Caring about him is dangerous, Y/N. What are you doing?_ You mentally scolded yourself. Even so, you did enjoy joking around with him a bit earlier.

After picking yourself up off the floor, you prepared yourself for whatever may come tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna do slow burn romance, but oml I have no idea how to take things slow. This chapter was probably a bit boring, but, at least Akechi knows your name now, right? ;;
> 
> Am I adding problem characters to add conflict to the story based on people I know irl? Yes. Yes I am. Not everything can be so easy reader chan. You can't outrun your problems.


	3. The First Day of School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another exhausting day in the world of Persona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love bento box lunches. There's a channel on youtube called にぎりっ娘。nigiricco that creates recipes and gives ideas for bento boxes. Literally my favorite channel. Tbh, i'll probably get most of my lunch ideas from them ahkjshfkd.
> 
> Also long chapter oops
> 
> Update:  
> I wasn't happy with the job description. I feel like it was just a little too much. Also, I realized that ¥300,000 is a little too much for a tutor hjskdfhkjh.

**April 11th. Monday. Morning**

The annoying sound of your alarm echoed through your room, signifying the start of another possibly overwhelming day. A soft groan escaped your lips as you blindly slapped the nightstand by your bed, looking for your phone. Once you finally managed to grab it, you turned off your alarm and stared blankly at the overly bright screen as yesterdays events flooded back into your mind. You were still in the Persona universe.

A soft ache pulled at your heart, you missed your bed, your home, your family. It's only been a day and you were already getting homesick. Even though you weren't particularly happy that you got stuck with people who had treated you so poorly in the past, you were kind of glad that you weren't alone. The familiarity of having people around that you knew was comforting. 

You created a group chat for the four of you, sending a quick good morning text, letting them know that you were still here. _As much as I'd like to, I can't just ignore them, right?_ _They're probably just as scared and confused as I am._ They responded with a good morning as well.

After laying in your bed for what seemed like hours, you got up, mentally preparing yourself for whatever would be thrown at you today. You stumbled to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do your hair, and apply a bit of makeup. Despite your exhaustion last night, you had managed to take a shower before going to bed. 

Before getting dressed, you decided to make yourself breakfast, as well as a boxed lunch. You had bought a cute little reusable bento box at the grocery store you went to yesterday and you were excited to start using it.

Your breakfast consisted of a grilled salmon steak, a small bowl of rice and some miso soup. For your lunch, you pan-fried some frozen pork and vegetable dumplings to give them some crunch, a rolled egg omelet as well as some buttered and salted sweet corn. Of course, you also included the leftover rice from breakfast. You were pretty proud of your little creation. You've never made a bento lunch before.

After getting dressed, you made your way out of your apartment and headed towards the station. You hoped you wouldn't run into Akira, or Ren. You weren't sure what his name would be considering Atlus couldn't make up their mind. If you remembered correctly, he took the Shibuya line then transferred to the Ginza line. The Ginza line is the train you also took, as well as the rest of the Thieves. _How troublesome._ If you had to run into anyone, you kind of hoped it would be Akechi, considering you two were already acquainted.

The walk to the station was nerve-wracking, you weren't sure if you'd ever get used to the amount of people. Upon arriving to the train platform, you spotted numerous Shujin students. None of them stood out, but of course, your morning couldn't be easy. The faint scent of coffee filled your nose as a boy came to stand next to you. You did your best to ignore him, but the chattering of the students made you feel awful considering the person they were talking about was standing directly next to you. They talked about how the new 'delinquent' transfer student was a killer and how he did every drug under the sun. You even heard a few of them mention how he carried a knife on him at all times and that if you made eye contact with him, he'd stab you.

"High school students are awful." You sighed, the words were out of your mouth before you could stop them. You turned your head towards a group of students, who were talking very loudly about the transfer student.

A deep chuckle came from the boy beside you. "You can say that again." His voice was so soft, calming. Turning your head, you looked up at him and smiled. Goodness. He was definitely attractive, though that small, sad smile on his lips kept you from thinking any other thoughts about his features.

You raised your eyebrow slightly as you took in his face, then turned your head back to the group of loud Shujin students, then looked back at him. 

"Oh." A hushed whisper escaped your lips. _That look on his face. I understand how he feels. Rumors suck ass._

In the game, he never looked or acted particularly bothered by them, but the look on his face now said it all. They hurt.

He seemed surprised by your reaction, probably because you had 'figured it out' so quickly. _I might as well finish what I started._

"It's none of my business what you've done in the past, but considering you didn't stab me when I looked you in the eyes, I would have to say these rumors about you aren't true." Your little joke made him chuckle again, causing his body to relax a bit as your train arrived. Without saying anything more, you both boarded the train car. Thankfully, there was enough room that you weren't being squished against him, like you had been with Akechi.

You didn't speak with him during the train ride, but when your stop arrived, you turned to him. "Well, I hope your first day of school isn't too bad." Of course, it was going to be awful. He just grimaced in response, nodding slightly.

Once the train car doors were open, you quickly slipped out and headed towards your first transfer of the day, mentally scolding yourself for interacting with him like that. Although, you knew in your heart that you couldn't just let something like that slide. 

Before you could do any more reflecting on what you had did though, you noticed a familiar head of chestnut hair walking a ways in front of you. _Good. He won't notice me if I stay behind him like this._

Your second train ride went alright for the most part. You were squished between a handful of students, but at least they weren't staring at your chest. 

The second transfer wasn't as simple though. Of course it wasn't. Nothing was ever easy.

"Good morning L/N-san." A sultry voice spoke up from beside you as you waited for the subway to come to a stop in front of you. Akechi had noticed you. He could've just ignored you, you couldn't help but wonder why he didn't. A small bubble of happiness popped in your stomach. Standing in a train car with someone you knew, well, were acquainted with, was a lot better than standing alone.

"Good morning Akechi-kun." You responded, giving him a genuine smile, which he returned with a practiced smile. The both of you walked onto the train, filled to the brim with students wearing the same uniform as you.

"Are you excited for your first day of school?" He asked, attempting to make idle conversation with you. 

"I suppose so." He chuckled at your half-assed response, probably not believing you.

"You don't sound too enthusiastic. Is something troubling you?" Akechi did that little head tilt again as he spoke. Your heart fluttered at the sight of him. _He's so handsome._

_Focus Y/N. Don't get distracted._

"To be completely honest, I've only been awake for a little over two hours and I'm already tired again. Plus, the Principal wants to talk to me during lunch so I won't have much time to eat." You didn't mean to rant again, but he was easy to talk to. You were barely able to stop yourself from spilling all of your worries to him. _Would I make friends on my first day? Would I even make any friends at all? Are the students at my school just as bad as the Shujin students? Were there going to be bullshit rumors about me again?_

Akechi just looked down at you, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed as he listened to your problems. _Does he care?_ It was hard to tell. He was making more facial expressions than he did yesterday, but that didn't automatically mean that he cared.

The squeaking of the train car coming to a stop kept Akechi from saying anything more about the subject. Taking a deep breath, you prepared yourself to get swept away by the crowd of students once the doors opened.

Your walk with Akechi to the school was silent at first. It was hard to ignore the stares and whispers. _Looks like the students of Ichiryu Academy are just as bad as the students of Shujin and my old high school._ Some of the female students squealed about Akechi, others glared at you for walking with him.

"You're quite popular aren't you." You laughed nervously as you shrunk under the glares of Akechi's fangirls. He adjusted his tie, looking slightly uncomfortable as well.

"That's one way of putting it." _What was he trying to do? Is he waiting for me to come to him and tell him I know he's famous? Or did he hope I wouldn't find out? Does he assume that I want something from him?_

The two of you walked through the entrance and headed towards the locker area to collect the books you would need for the day. As you approached your locker, you started to understand why the Principal thought to mention that you weren't allowed to switch or trade lockers. Your locker was right next to Akechi's. _Is this just a coincidence? Does someone, or something, want me to interact with Akechi?_

You noticed that Kaylee, Brook and Callie were all standing around their lockers, which were next to yours. You weren't sure if that was a coincidence or not though. It kind of made sense, seeing as how you were all transferred here together.

Callie was the first to notice Akechi, which caused the other girls to turn their attentions towards the both of you, although, it felt like they were only paying attention to him.

"Good morning Akechi-kun!" Callie purred as she hooked her arm around Akechi's. He visibly tensed before being pulled to the group of girls. _Poor guy._ You made eye contact with him for a moment, a look of pity written across your face.

Carefully, you put in your locker combination and opened the door. On the inside sat the textbooks you would need for class. You took the books you would need for the day and placed them in your bag.

"Attention students. This is just a reminder that school will be over after 5th period today due to the subway accidents. We wish you all a safe ride home. Also, Y/N L/N, please report to the Principals office. I repeat, Y/N L/N to the Principals office." Spoke a voice over the intercom, catching all of the students attention. A blush spread over your cheeks at being singled out in front of the entire student population. _Oh god why._

"Oop." Brook said as she looked at you. "Are you already in trouble?" She laughed, gaining your attention. Her hand was playfully resting on Akechi's arm and for some reason, that bothered you. You weren't jealous. No. He was just clearly uncomfortable with the sudden affection of three, well, two girls. Kaylee respectfully kept her distance. _Callie knows who Akechi is, right? Hasn't she played Persona 5 too?_

"Sure." Was all you said before turning and heading towards the stairs. You didn't want to deal with them so early in the morning. Their giggling as you turned around made you roll your eyes. This was going to be tough.

On your journey to the Principals office, you heard students talking about you. Calling you things like a 'goodie two shoes kiss ass' and 'teachers pet'. To be fair, you should've been expecting that considering that's how the Shujin students treated Makoto, simply because she was an honor student and the student council president. You did your best not to let their words get to you, but you couldn't deny that they hurt.

Once you reached the Principals office, you knocked twice. The voice you heard on the inside quieted as she told you to come in. Twisting the handle and opening the door, you recognized the man sitting on the sofa across from her. Principal Kobayakawa of Shujin Academy. You'd recognize that egg shaped man anywhere.

"Good morning Principal Victoria, you wanted to see me?" You put on a pleasant smile, despite your distain for the man sitting in front of you.

"Good morning L/N-san. Please." She gestured for you to come closer to the man sitting on the couch. "This is Principal Kobayakawa of Shujin Academy, he came here specifically to speak with you." She explained, nodding to the man.

_Uh. What? What does he want with me?_

"Yes, hello L/N-san. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm here to talk to you about having you possibly become an English tutor at Shujin Academy. I know we don't have much time since school will be starting soon, so I was hoping I could ask you to stop by Shujin when you got out of class today. I'd like to inform you of what our school has to offer you in return for your services." _Huh._ You shouldn't be surprised considering he would do anything for the reputation of his school, yet you were absolutely shocked. _How intriguing. What made me so special? Am I the only one this was happening to? I suppose I'll learn more once I meet up with the other girls to talk about whatever the hell is happening._ So many questions, but so few answers.

This was clearly a job opportunity and being so fluent in both languages, it would be a great job for you. For now, you'd go along with it.

"It's nice to meet you as well sir." You began, bowing towards the man. "Sure! I could stop by Shujin after school. A tutoring job could be good for me." You brought your hand to your chin as you contemplated the possible dangers of working at Shujin. Before he could respond, the bell rang, signifying the beginning of the school day. Oh boy. 

"Well, I should get to class. I'll see you later today!" Bowing quickly, you scurried off to class. You didn't want to be late for your first day.

Upon reaching your class, you noticed an older man standing outside the door. He took one look at you and smiled. "Good morning. You must be Y/N L/N. I'm Fumihiro Eito, your homeroom and Japanese teacher."

"Good morning." _God this is exhausting._ "Pleased to meet you." You did a little bow before he led you into the classroom. To say you were nervous was an understatement. You hoped that you wouldn't have to talk about yourself in front of the class.

Once you got to the center of the front area of the classroom, you turned and gazed at your new classmates, taking in their faces until your eyes made contact with gorgeous russet eyes. There was Goro Akechi, sitting towards the back of the class. Thankfully, there weren't any open seats near him.

"Alright class. We've got a new student here with us today. Why don't you introduce yourself?" Mr. Eito announced before turning to look at you.

For a moment, your eyes lingered on the detective prince, who gave you a small smile of encouragement. At least, that's what you hoped it was. Maybe he just smiled because you two locked eyes. "Good morning everyone. My name is Y/N L/N. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all this year." You spoke with a bit of enthusiasm, a smile sitting on your lips. Murmurs immediately erupted from the class. A handful of boys made some comments about your looks and the girls whispered about how you were an honor student and how you had walked in with Akechi this morning. 

You cringed inwardly as you made your way to an empty seat at the front of the class. The teacher began to talk about how school would get out early and about the subway accidents before beginning his lecture on the Japanese language. You did your best to listen, but multiple students were burning holes into your head with their staring. _Ugh._

Classes went by fairly quickly, which you couldn't be more thankful for, lunch was soon approaching. Despite your decent breakfast, you were starving. Interacting with so many people while you were still coming to terms with being in a new world had you mentally drained. Hopefully things would get easier for you. 

Once the bell rang for lunch, you took a moment to pack your things, giving the students time to rush out of the room so you didn't get swept away by them. A handful of girls stayed behind to coo at Akechi, practically swooning over him when he said that he had some things to take care of during lunch so he couldn't eat with them. _Was everyday like this for him? It must be exhausting._

You rose from your chair and headed towards the door. You wanted to get your meeting with the Principal over with so you could devour your lunch.

As you reached the flight of stairs, you made your way to the Principals office once again. The others showed up only a few minutes later.

The Principal asked you all about your days so far, whether you enjoyed your classes or not and if you had made any friends. Callie, Brook and Kaylee all giggled about Akechi, but that didn't seem to surprise Principal Victoria. This wasn't the conversation you were expecting to have with her. She seemed genuinely concerned on how you were all doing.

"Before I let you go L/N-san, I spoke with your 5th period teacher about you leaving a bit early so that you won't be late for your meeting with Kobayakawa. You will be leaving 10 minutes earlier than everyone else. I hope that's alright." _Yes. Yes that is absolutely alright._ You wouldn't have to deal with Akechi's fangirls glaring at you as you walked to the station or the other transfer students.

"Oh yes! Thank you ma'am." You responded happily with a bow. After you made your way through the door to her office, you headed towards the library, assuming that would be the best place to eat your lunch and begin doing the homework you had been given.

Ichiryu's library was in a separate building of its own. It was three stories tall and must've held thousands of books on every subject you could imagine. Maybe you'd also check out a book if you had time to spare.

There weren't nearly as many students inside as you thought there would be, so it was easy to find an empty table where you could work. Immediately, you got out your lunch and began working on your homework. Sadly, you didn't have time to finish it before the bell rang, you'd have to finish it at home, however, you managed to eat all of your lunch which you were happy about.

On your way back to class, you ran into a certain Princely Detective while leaving the library, literally.

A high pitched squeak ripped from your throat as your body collided with Akechi's, causing you to begin falling backwards. His hand swiftly wrapped around your right upper arm and pulled you into his chest before you could fall. Your face made contact with his broad chest and your hands pressed against his stomach.

"L/N-san! My apologies! Are you alright?" He asked, his grip still tight on your arm. Your face felt hot and you could feel your heart beating in your throat.

"A-Akechi-kun. I-I'm alright." You cringed as you stuttered, but your emotions were a jumbled mix between surprised and nervous. He smelled so good, it made your head dizzy.

He released his grip on your arm and pulled away from you. You mentally scolded yourself for immediately missing the warmth of his body. It's been a while since you've been close to someone. "Shall we head to class? We don't want to be late."

You just nodded in response, unable to look him in the eyes due to how flustered you were. 

"So, what did the Principal want with you this morning? Were you actually in trouble?" He gave you a curiously innocent look as he asked. You put your hand over your mouth as you laughed. He almost looked like a child with that expression. _Was this another genuine expression?_ All he did was raise an eyebrow at you, not understanding the reason for your laughter.

"Haha sorry. No, I wasn't in trouble. The Principal of Shujin Academy wanted to speak with me. Apparently, he wants me to be an English tutor at his school. I'll be leaving early today in order to go speak with him more about it." You explain, trying to control your laughter, hopefully he wouldn't think you were laughing at him because of his questions. You didn't want to make him feel stupid or anything.

"Oh wow! Do you think you'll take the job?" He seemed excited for you, but you weren't sure if he meant it. You knew he was fake, but he was an incredible actor.

"Honestly, it depends on how much they're willing to pay me. I'm on my own when it comes to paying rent. Living in Shibuya is expensive." You sighed as you explained what you were thinking. 

Akechi nodded, seemingly in understanding. "That makes sense. Hopefully the Principal offers you enough to pay your rent. I can understand the stress of having to pay bills on your own." He looked away from you as he spoke. You thought that was a bit weird. He looked away from you yesterday when he confirmed that as a detective, he had seen some scary things. _Is he going to do this every time he opened up? Is he afraid of my reaction...? Probably not. He could be acting._

"Do you live alone too?" Your voice came out a lot smaller than you wanted it to as you looked up at him. You had never thought about it before, but he must be lonely. All he did was nod in response, signaling that he didn't want to talk about it any more, so you didn't pry.

The rest of your walk to the classroom was silent, although, you couldn't help but feel a slight sense of accomplishment. These were things that the public knew about Akechi, but you were confident that he didn't know that you knew he was famous. So it felt good to think that he might be opening up to you. Although, you wouldn't know for sure if he was opening up about his life to you until he told you something deeper, or even something you didn't know.

History was your final subject of the day. You found Japanese history interesting compared to American history. Learning about another countries past was fascinating. 

Before you knew it, you were being excused to leave. The students behind you all grumbled about how you got special privileges because you kissed the Principals ass or something like that. It's not your fault that you were a good student. Actually, it was. You prided yourself in your work and you wouldn't let the jealousy of the other high schoolers get to you.

You reveled in the walk to the station. There wasn't an obsessed fangirl or annoying American transfer student in sight. The station was pretty empty compared to this morning. You even managed to get a seat on the train.

The best part of Shujin was it was on your way home. Sort of. You'd have to take the Ginza line away from Shibuya, but you wouldn't have to transfer on your way back. 

By the time you reached Shujin, the bell had already rung, students were flooding out of the entrance. As you made your way towards the entrance, you noticed a familiar looking girl standing by the doors. _Makoto._ _God I love Makoto._ She was beautiful. She exuded an air of confidence and grace. If you were forced to make friends with anyone here at Shujin, you hoped it would be her. She would be a great study partner. In your opinion, she was best girl. _Poor thing just needs a friend._

Makoto's striking crimson eyes locked onto yours and you smiled at her. She quickly approached you with a professional looking smile of her own. "Hello. You must be Y/N L/N. I am Makoto Niijima, the student council president of Shujin Academy." She did a little bow as she introduced herself. _So respectful._

"Mhm. Pleasure to meet you Niijima-san." You bowed back to her, feeling genuinely happy about meeting one of the future Phantom Thieves. You were starting to resign yourself to the forces of this world. If you were going to have to meet all of the Phantom Thieves, then you might as well enjoy it. It was tiresome to keep your guard up all the time. Who knows, maybe you'd actually make some real friends while you were here. You just needed to make sure that you didn't get too close. _Just be careful Y/N._

"Please follow me. I'll take you to the Principals office." She said while turning, you just nodded and followed along behind her. While you followed her, you could hear students whispering about you and Makoto. _Why is everyone so mean?_

"Who is she? Is she friends with Miss Student Council President?"

"She's that new foreign transfer student at Ichiryu. Apparently, she's just as big of a kiss-ass as Niijima-san is."

"I heard that she's friends with Akechi-kun. What does he see in her?"

"My friend said that she saw them walking together this morning. She's not even that pretty."

"Akechi-senpai is too good for her."

_Yikes. What's wrong with these people?_

"It seems high school students are the same, no matter what school you go to." You sighed as you began to climb a flight of stairs with Makoto. She looked back at you and gave you a soft smile. "Sadly, that's just how things are." You just smiled back at her as you continued your climb. 

At the top of the stairs, stood two disgusting individuals, Kamoshida and Kobayakawa. Kamoshida immediately noticed you and Makoto.

"Well well well. Who do we have here?" He gave you the creeps. He looked like he was undressing you with his eyes. Makoto stiffened beside you. Ever so slightly, you shifted closer to her, genuinely scared of the man in front of you.

"Ah L/N-san. It's good to see you. Kamoshida-kun, this is Y/N L/N, the American honor transfer student at the prestigious Ichiryu Academy. Hopefully, she'll become an English tutor here at Shujin. L/N-san, this is Suguru Kamoshida. He's our star volleyball coach." Kobayakawa explained as he paid no attention to the way Kamoshida was looking at you. The sharp eyed Student Council President noticed though, she leaned towards you in an attempt to hide you. _Thank you Makoto. This is why you're best girl._

"H-hello! It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." You couldn't stop yourself from stuttering as you shifted uncomfortably in your spot. From the corner of your eye, you noticed a blob of blond hair and a blob of black hair. _Ryuji and Joker._

"No need to be so formal L/N." He didn't use an honorific. _Oh god._ You sucked in a breath in shock. He wasn't being subtle with his attraction to you at all.

"Pervert." A voice growled a little ways away from you. It was Ryuji and he was glaring daggers at Kamoshida. If looks could kill, Kamoshida would be 6 feet under right now.

"What was that Sakamoto-kun? Do I have to send you to the counselor again? Ditching school and harassing a teacher all in one day? That's grounds for expulsion." Ryuji looked absolutely furious as Kamoshida spoke. _No no no. You have to do something Y/N! He can't be expelled yet._

"Oh I'm sure he didn't mean it Kamoshida." You said as you reached for his arm, delicately placing your small gloved hand on his bicep, immediately getting his attention. You wanted to vomit. "Well, we should probably start our meeting soon. I don't want to take up too much of your time Principal Kobayakawa. I'm looking forward to possibly working with you." You finished, stealing a glance at Ryuji and Joker, who were in absolute shock. _Take this chance to get out of here damnit. Aren't you two supposed to have a meeting on the roof about infiltrating Kamoshida's palace or something?_

"Stay clear of Sakamoto-kun and Amamiya-kun. They aren't good people to associate with. Both of them are delinquents. Oh, and I'm looking forward to that as well. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Kamoshida placed his hand over yours for a moment before turning and walking up the next flight of stairs. It took all of your strength to not gag. _So his name is Ren, that makes sense. That's technically his canon name. Right?_ Makoto just stared at you. You swallowed hard and Kobayakawa beamed at you. "I'm glad you're already getting along with the staff here! You may go now Niijima-san. I can handle it from here." He dismissed Makoto and began walking towards his office.

 _Fuck._ You nervously glanced up at her, then to the boys who were still standing there, staring. She seemed to understand because she just gave you a pained smile. "It was nice meeting you Niijima-san. I hope we can talk again soon." You waved at her before following the Principal.

"I hope so too." Her voice was small, but you heard it. 

The walk to the Principals office was agonizing. You felt so dirty and the whispering of the student body wasn't helping your souring mood. You were definitely going to take an extra long shower tonight. Once you got inside his office, he got right down to business.

"First things first, thank you for taking the time to come here to Shujin." He began, you smiled and nodded as you took a seat in front of his desk. "Now, onto what Shujin can offer you and what we're hoping to get from you in return. We want you to be a little more than just a tutor, an English staff member of sorts. Meaning that you'll meet with the English teaching staff once or twice a month to look over their teaching material so that you know what the students may need help with. As a tutor, we'd like you to create study guides based on the tests they will be given. We'd also like you to evaluate the students on their progress and report your findings to the English staff so they know what to focus on when teaching." _A staff member of 'sorts'?_ "In return, I'm willing to pay you ¥200,000 a month and give you a letter of recommendation to the college of your choice, in exchange for working with the English staff as well as tutoring during 8th period study hall and for an hour after school." 

You almost choked on your own saliva. _¥200,000 a month?_ You weren't sure what to think, but then again, you'd be able to pay rent with what he's offering you. Plus, you'd get to spend more time with Makoto.

You brought your hand up to your chin as you contemplated his offer. It was incredibly tempting. He was offering more than almost all of the other schools had offered you combined. You weren't very excited about having to work with Kamoshida, though, he wouldn't be here for much longer.

"Your offer is very tempting sir. I'd have to talk to Principal Victoria about leaving school early so that I can get here for 8th period study hall..." You trailed off as you continued to think. 

"No need to worry about that, I'll speak to her about that. Also, I should mention that it would be nice if you could offer private tutoring services as well, for the students who aren't able to see you after school." He added. 

"Yeah. Alright. That's fair. You've got yourself a deal, Principal Kobayakawa." You nodded as you smiled over to him. 

"Oh good! I'll call Victoria about you leaving early. I'll let you go for now. Your first day will start tomorrow. Come see me when you get here." You nodded in response to him as you stood and made your way out of his office.

 _Hoo boy._

On your way out, you ran into a familiar brunette. "Niijima-san!" You called out to her and waved. She looked over to you in surprise and walked to you.

"Hello L/N-san. How did your meeting go?" She fell in step beside you as you continued your trek to the exit. "It went alright! The Principal offered to pay me ¥200,000 a month if I became a 'little more than just a tutor' or something. I couldn't say no to that. I start tomorrow." You laughed a bit as you looked over at her, doing air quotes when you quoted the Principals words.

"Congratulations on getting the job!" She smiled at you and nodded, you just beamed at her in response. You really just wanted to be nice to her.

"Uh. By the way. That Kamoshida guy." She visibly flinched as you brought him up. "He gives me an awful vibe. That blond kid called him a pervert?" You looked over at her.

"Ah yes. He's supposedly in a relationship with one of the second years here. You should try to stay away from him." Makoto gave you an almost pleading look, like she didn't want you to get caught up with him. 

You cringed a bit and nodded as you reached the front entrance. "Oh! Before I forget, could I possibly get your number? It'd be nice to have someone to talk to around here who isn't a teacher." You laughed as you pulled out your phone, watching her reaction carefully.

From the look on her face when you said that, she probably wasn't expecting that. You're probably the first person who's been so nice to her in a while. That thought made your heart ache. "Sure. Here." Makoto pulled out her phone and handed it to you so you could put your information in.

After saying your goodbyes to Makoto, you headed towards the station and prayed that you wouldn't run into anyone else. Thankfully, your prayer had been answered because you managed to make it all the way to your apartment without running into anyone. 

Once inside, you sat at the kitchen table and reflected on the overwhelming day you've just had. First, you ran into Ren at the station, then you ran into Akechi not even 15 minutes later, then you were invited to Shujin by the Principal who went all the way to Ichiryu just to talk to you, then you literally ran into Akechi when lunch was over, then you met Makoto and Kamoshida and saved Ryuji from expulsion by flirting with the pervert, then you accepted a tutoring job at Shujin, then you got Makoto's number. _Will tomorrow be just as hectic?_ You hoped not. Maybe things would slow down once you met all of the Thieves.

Another thought suddenly entered your mind. _Would I become a persona user too?_ You're being forced into the plot by who knows what. _If so, who would find out about my persona wielding capabilities first? Akechi? He's the person I'm around the most, not only that but he's one sneaky son of a bitch. I'd have no way of knowing if he knew unless he slipped up or came to me about it directly. Or would it be Ren? He's sharp, plus, I wouldn't have to worry about him possibly killing me if he found out._ You still weren't sure if Akechi was a good person or not. In P5R, he seemed like he could be one, but you never know.

You quickly whipped yourself up dinner and took a long, hot shower, allowing the hot steam to penetrate your pores. However, you wouldn't be able to go to sleep in peace. Of course you couldn't.

A meowing and pawing sound came from your fire escape. _Morgana. How did he find me? Did he follow me or something?_

Hesitantly, you opened the glass door and let him in. He gave you a purr filled mew and rubbed himself against your leg.

"Kitty, how did you find me?" You asked him as you squatted so that you could pet his head, which he happily let you do. He must be hungry again. "Well. Are you hungry? I've got some salmon left." His pupils widened at the mention of salmon, which made you giggle a bit. _Morgana is so cute._

The black and white cat followed you to your fridge. You reached for one of the packages of salmon and took off the wrapping. _Guess I'll be having eggs instead of fish for breakfast tomorrow._

While Morgana ate, you cleaned up your kitchen, doing the dishes and carefully cleaning your stove. It's important to keep your workspace tidy!

"By the way, do you plan on staying the night? If so, I'll need to find you something to go potty on." You would often talk to your cats back in California, so it was hard not to chat with him like that as well. All you got was a meow in response, which you laughed at a bit. "You're so chatty. It feels like you can really understand me."

"I suppose I could just leave the window in my bedroom cracked so that you can leave if you have to go to the bathroom. It's not that cold tonight." Raising a hand to your chin, you contemplated what you would do for him. You were kind of excited to have him stay. You missed your cats at home.

Morgana trotted around your apartment for a bit, exploring your new found home. Currently, you were doing your homework, although you were struggling to concentrate. Your mind was still a mess. _Do I really have to accept that this is my reality now?_ It frustrated you to no end.

The cat must've noticed your frustration because he hopped into your lap and purred, probably in an attempt to comfort you. "Hm. Are you worried about me? You're so sweet. I'm alright. It's just been a long day." You scratched his fluffy cheeks before you eventually gave up on your homework. It wasn't due for a few days, and you could always finish it during lunch.

"Alright. Let's go to bed. I can't stay up any longer." And with that, you both made your ways to your bed. Morgana curled up on your stomach to keep you warm. _How precious._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lowkey want to write a Makoto x fem!reader ;; Both her and Sae confirm my disaster bisexuality lmaO


	4. Confidant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School seems to be getting worse, but hey, at least you've made a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Akechi wake up to his Robin Hood persona because of his friendship with Joker? ;;;;;
> 
> I like to imagine that the students of Ichiryu academy (or where ever akechi goes to school) are all decent at speaking English because of how prestigious the school is.
> 
> Also, I'm open for a small request. It'll be nice to work on something other than this. I have no ideas for a possible scenario or headcanon so any ideas would be great :) please check my profile before requesting something ;;;;

**April 12th. Tuesday. Morning**

The blaring of your alarm didn't bother you as much this morning. While it was still annoying, the heated weight on top of you was comforting. You had slept well last night, thanks to Morgana keeping you company. Strangely, him being so close kept you from overthinking all night.

You reached for your phone as gentle as possible in order to not disturb the kitty sleeping on top of you. Once you had grabbed your phone and turned off your alarm, you noticed a handful of good morning texts from your group chat. 

Morgana squeaked and stretched his body over you while still laying down. He pressed his soft kitty paws into your face as he stretched the sleep out of his muscles, causing you to giggle.

"Good morning cutie." You mumbled as you stroked his head. He responded with a few meows, which you assumed was a good morning. "I don't know about you, but I slept great. I miss having a furry friend like you to sleep with. I had to leave my cats back home in California." 

Morgana shifted above you and gave three quick, loud meows. He was probably yelling at you for calling him a cat. 

"Are you hungry? I don't have any more fish. Will you eat some cooked eggs?" You asked him as you sat up and rubbed your eyes. Morgana made a groan-like sound in response. "Sorry haha. You sound so disappointed, but you're the one who ate all of my fish."

Morgana hopped off of you and your bed and trotted to your closed bedroom door, pawing at it. You slid out of bed and opened the door for him. He made his way around your apartment while you locked yourself in the bathroom and did your morning routine.

Once you had finished, you got to work on making your breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, you made two plain rolled egg omelets, miso soup with cubed tofu and seaweed, and rice. For lunch, you cut up a chicken thigh into bite sized pieces that you had marinated in a basic marinade of soy sauce, grated garlic, grated ginger and sake. You coated it in a layer of potato starch before frying it in vegetable oil. Since you enjoyed the sweet corn so much yesterday, you made more. Lastly, you cleaned a handful of spinach and lettuce and used a small container to hold some ranch for your chicken and salad. You were even more proud of this bento. It had more color than yesterdays.

Morgana happily ate the egg you gave him while you cooked your lunch. "Did you like your egg?" He meowed and walked towards the fire escape. "Oh. You want to leave? Alright. Promise me you'll go home! Your owner must be worried sick about you. Bye bye cutie." You waved to him as he left.

After getting dressed, you packed up your school bag and left your apartment. Those wealthy businessmen were sitting in the lobby again, eyeing you as you passed them. God you hated the way they looked at you, obviously judging you. It's not like you had a choice when it came to where you lived.

As you opened the front door to the lobby, a familiar head of chestnut hair came into view. Akechi looked over at you as you made your way down the steps of your apartment complex, a TV smile quickly making its way onto his lips as you noticed him.

"Good morning, L/N-san. Do you live here?" He asked as he looked up at the newly built complex. _Of course I'd run into him immediately._

"Good morning, Akechi-kun. If I say yes, are you going to start stalking me?" You joked as you fell in step with the detective, who chuckled in response.

"Obviously. What else would I do with that information?" He teased back as he looked down at you, almost looking like he was gauging your reaction. You slapped a hand over your mouth as you laughed. You weren't expecting that kind of response. He was actually kind of funny.

Akechi grinned down at you as you both continued your walks to the station. 

"Do you live in Shibuya too?" It wouldn't hurt to ask. His grin turned into more of a smirk, like he enjoyed joking around with you.

"If I say yes, are you going to start stalking me?" He repeated your question to you, causing you to roll your eyes, but you couldn't stop the giggle that escaped your lips.

"Of course my dear knight. Someone has to make sure you get home safely and eat your vegetables." You quipped and bumped your shoulder against his arm, it took all of your strength to not laugh through your response.

He lifted his right hand and covered his mouth as he laughed. Another genuine laugh. It felt good to make him laugh like that. Hopefully, you'd get many more chances to make him genuinely laugh.

The station was coming into view and you were both walking in a comfortable silence. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to get close to him. He could use a friend, right? I've only known him for a few days, but I'm already starting to feel comfortable around him. Does he feel the same?_

Good lord, the station was crowded. Thankfully, Akechi stuck close to you as you made your way to the Ginza line, along with a bunch of Shujin students. It was a tight squeeze getting into the train car. You were once again pressed up against him. 

"I'm so sorry." You groaned as you tried not to think about how his arm was in between your breasts. Akechi just looked down at you with a slight grimace on his face. He probably wasn't used to this much human contact. You were worried that you might accidentally overwhelm him. It's not your fault that you had to be so close to him.

Your first transfer was better though. You were able to keep a respectful distance between you and the detective. While the train car was still crowded, there was still room to breathe.

The second transfer, you weren't so lucky. Well, Akechi wasn't so lucky. A group of his fangirls saw him and literally pushed you out of the way to gush at him. Their faces were red and they were stuttering as they spoke to him. All you did was sigh and wait for your train to arrive. _Poor guy._

You ended up walking alone into Ichiryu since Akechi was still preoccupied by his fangirls. Hopefully, he'd be able to get away from them on his own. 

As you approached your locker, you noticed Kaylee, Callie and Brook standing around their lockers, along with a handful of girls you didn't recognize. They were getting popular quickly. It kind of made you jealous. It was only your second day and they had already made friends. _Why can't I make friends that quickly? Why are the girls, who were terrible to me, making friends? Am I not good enough?_

"Y/N L/N to the principals office. I repeat, Y/N L/N to the principals office." A voice over the intercom spoke. _Why? Why couldn't the principal just email me or something?_ A groan escaped your lips as you quickly put your combination into your locker so you could get your books and stuff.

"Are you already in trouble again?" A sweetly charming voice spoke up from beside you. Akechi was opening his locker, the squealing of the group next to you almost made you not hear him.

You quickly exhaled through your nose and smiled. "Obviously. I'm a bad girl." You couldn't get through your sentence without laughing.

Akechi just gave you his practiced laugh in response. A bit disappointing, but he wouldn't let himself slip up in front of so many of his peers. The burning sensation on the back of your head made you cringe. The girls behind you definitely weren't happy about the fact that you just made Akechi laugh.

"See you in class." You sighed as you walked off, trying to ignore the stares you were given as you made your way to the principals office. The whispers were even harder to ignore today. They were talking about your appearance. You weren't insecure about the way you looked by any means, you took good care of your skin, teeth and hair, but you still had feelings.

"Ew. Why would Akechi-senpai hang out with someone as basic as her?"

"My baby sister is prettier than her and she was born yesterday."

"I've seen fish with better looks than her."

_They're just jealous that Akechi won't give them any attention, Y/N. No need to get hung up on these things. No matter how badly you may want to snap at them, don't stoop to their level. You're better than this._

Finally, you had reached the administration floor. It was empty for the most part, so you didn't have to endure any more of the student body's verbal abuse. _Thank God._ Approaching the principals office door, you knocked, hoping that you wouldn't have to spend too much time in the cold, uninviting room.

"Come in." She spoke, the sound of nails tapping on a keyboard could be heard coming from the inside. You twisted the door nob and smiled as you made eye contact with Principal Victoria.

"Good morning ma'am." You said as you made your way to the couch in front of her desk.

"Good morning L/N-san. I'm sure you know why you're here. Kobayakawa called about your tutoring position yesterday." _Ah yes._ You had almost forgotten about that. "Congratulations on getting that position. Shujin has been looking for a good English tutor for years now and I'm glad you met their expectations."

"Thank you." You said quietly, not expecting the praise, a blush quickly coloring your cheeks.

"We've decided that you'll leave Ichiryu after 7th period in order to make it to Shujin before their school day ends. I've already spoken to your 8th period study hall teacher about this. I'm sure I don't need to tell you to not dawdle on your way to Shujin." She continued, seemingly proud of you. _Damn._ You've never met a principal so invested in their students. It was a nice change of pace compared to the student body.

"Great. Thank you. I appreciate it." You bowed to her for doing these things for you.

"Unless you have any questions, you're free to go. The bell will be ringing soon." She dismissed, you just nodded in response as you got up and left her office. _Nice. This means I won't have to worry when I leave school. No stares, no whispers. Nothing. Just peaceful silence._

Upon getting to your classroom, you noticed that Akechi was already in his seat. _Does he just go straight to class when he gets here? It'd make sense. It's a good place to hide from the fangirls._

He looked up at you as you entered and smiled, causing you to smile in response. You barely had time to sit down before the bell rang and a flood of students entered the room. The whispers began as they settled into their desks. It was kind of humiliating, knowing Akechi was in the room and most of the whispers were about you and him. You nervously twirled your pencil between your fingers as you waited for your homeroom teacher to show up. _Please hurry._

"I bet she forces him to hang out with her."

"Yeah, he would never be friends with a foreigner."

"It's cute how she thinks she's friends with Akechi."

God you wanted to slam your head into your desk. _Why me? If I stopped interacting with Akechi, would they stop talking about me like this? Would it even be worth a try?_

Thankfully, before the negative questions could overwhelm you, your homeroom and Japanese teacher walked in. He took attendance and immediately started talking about your classes for the day. Hopefully your classes would go by quickly. You were ready to hide away in the library and eat your lunch.

Sadly, classes went by agonizingly slow. You were all too aware of the glares from the other female students. _Sorry Akechi took an interest in me. It's not my fault._

By the time lunch came around, you were ready to sprint to the library. You already had your bag packed and ready to go when the bell rang. Swiftly, you pushed yourself off of your chair and speed walked through the door before the rest of the students could.

You thanked the deity who had given you a relatively easy walk to the library. _Was everyday going to be this bad? Would it get worse?_ You weren't sure if you'd survive the rest of the year if the students kept this up.

The library itself had an immediate calming effect on you. The friendly librarian smiled at you as you made your way to the second floor in order to hide away from the other students. You took your time skimming the bookshelves as you made your way to an empty table by a clean window. However, before you could get out your stuff, a familiar voice spoke up from beside you. _Fuck._

"There you are." _What? He was looking for me?_

You turned your head towards Akechi, who was giving you a sympathetic smile. However, all you could do was stare at him, you didn't have the strength to smile back.

He seemed to notice your wounded emotions because his smile quickly dropped. "My apologies. I should probably leave you alone, shouldn't I?" As much as you wanted to blame him for the rumors and stuff, it wasn't fair to him. It's not his fault your peers were so judgmental. 

Taking a deep breath, you shook your head and patted the spot in front of you, signaling that he should sit with you. He took your offer and stared at you for a moment. "Are you not going to eat lunch?" Akechi asked as he set the package of sandwiches he was holding in front of him. He probably bought them this morning before class started. 

"I am." You said simply as you pulled your cute little bento box out of your bag. Akechi eyed the box as you opened it. "Do you want some?" You asked, sliding the box over to him, feeling a bit bad for the way you first reacted to him. _Is he worried about me or something?_

Surprise flashed across his face for a quick moment. He hesitantly took one of the pieces of chicken and bit into it as you got out your homework. The sound of him humming caused you to look over at him. "Did you make this yourself?" He asked once he had finished chewing.

"Mhm! I try to wake up a bit early so I can make myself lunch. I'd rather not have to deal with the cafeteria." _He liked it? Goro Akechi, the famous Ace Detective Prince, liked my cooking? Or was he lying, acting like he liked it so he wouldn't hurt my already fragile feelings?_

"You're an amazing cook. The breading is still crispy, despite sitting in your bento box all morning. The chicken is surprisingly juicy even though it was fried and the flavor is wonderful. It's simple yet satisfying." His praise made your cheeks heat up. _Holy shit. He really does like my cooking._

You quickly turned your head, avoiding his gaze and put a hand over your mouth. "T-thank you. I'm glad you like it." Your heart thudded against your ribcage. _Did he really just praise me so casually? He wasn't just trying to make me feel better, right?_

"May I have another?" Akechi asked, leaning forward slightly in his seat. Your eyes darted over to him as you nodded, watching his expression change from curious to delight. _Was this another genuine expression?_ You couldn't tell since you immediately looked away when he smiled.

You moved your attention to the homework sitting in front of you. There were only a few questions left to finish. Akechi sat in front of you silently, eating and working on his own homework. It didn't take the both of you that long to finish your lunches. He was right about the chicken, you were pretty proud of yourself.

"By the way," He began as he balled up his trash, "I'm sorry for the way people have been talking about you." You froze. _How embarrassing. Why did he have to bring it up?_

"You've got nothing to apologize for, Akechi-kun. It's not your fault our classmates are so horrible." You sighed and looked up from your homework, showing that he had your attention.

He had a neutral expression for the most part, the only thing that showed his 'frustration' was the furrowing of his eyebrows. _Ah. So he wasn't sorry. Maybe he just felt obligated to apologize since people started talking about me because they had seen me with him._

"Well, it is partially my fault. If I had just left you alone yesterday, they wouldn't be talking about you so harshly." He was frowning now, but you still couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

You just rolled your eyes at his response, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "Even if you had left me alone, they would still be saying that I'm a 'kiss-ass' and a 'goodie two shoes'. For what it's worth, I like hanging out with you." You were beginning to really enjoy his presence. He might not mean everything he says, but at least he isn't spreading rumors about you or talking badly about you behind your back. From what you knew at least.

Akechi just sighed in defeat and dropped the subject in favor for a new one. "How did your meeting with the Shujin principal go yesterday?" He rested his chin on his hand as he asked you that.

"Pretty good actually. He offered me ¥200,000 a month if I became part of the 'English staff'. Basically, I'll be working with the English teachers. They'll go over their lessons with me so I know what to look out for when tutoring. The Principal also wants me to evaluate the students progress when it comes to English and write down my findings or something. I'll also be tutoring English during 8th period, after school and privately, if the students need it that is." You explained as you twirled your pencil between your fingers. 

"That's great! Is that enough to pay your rent?" Just like yesterday and the day before, he tilted his head a bit. His hair fell out of place a bit when he did so. You had an overwhelming urge to pinch his cheeks and coo at him. He really knew how to make himself look innocent.

A smile made its way onto your face as you gazed at him. "Yeah it is. I'm so glad that I won't have to have multiple jobs in order to pay my bills." You sighed softly, truly grateful to the eggman who offered you the job.

You both went back to sitting in a comfortable silence as you finished up the work that had been given to you today. Hopefully, you wouldn't be given much more homework. You still had three classes left before the end of the day, so who knows how much work the rest of your teachers would give you.

The bell rang way too quickly for your liking, causing you to groan. Akechi just gave you a sympathetic look. 'Poor girl.' He was probably thinking.

The both of you walked back to class in silence, this was one of the few times that you wished he was talking because people were still whispering about you two. _Don't let them get to you. Don't let them get to you. Don't let them get to you._

The rest of your classes went by fairly quickly, and the next thing you knew, you were being excused from class. Without looking back, you packed your stuff and walked out of the classroom, heading towards your locker so that you could put your textbooks away. Your walk to the station was just as great as you thought it would be. There were very few people around and none of them bothered you, all too preoccupied with what they were doing. You knew that this would quickly become your favorite time of the day.

The emptiness of the trains was welcome as you made your way to Shujin. You were kind of hoping that you'd run into Makoto before the day was over. Out of everyone, she'd understand what you were going through. Maybe Ren too.

After reaching the front entrance of Shujin, that pretty brunette that you had been hoping to see popped into your vision.

"Niijima-san. It's good to see you again." You said while approaching her, a smile taking over your face. 

Makoto smiled back at you, "It's nice to see you too, L/N-san. Principal Kobayakawa wanted me to escort you to his office." You nodded in response as she turned and began guiding you through the school. Immediately, you began praying that you wouldn't run into Kamoshida today. You didn't want to have to deal with that pervert.

"Are you enjoying living in Japan so far?" She asked you, making idle conversation as you weaved through the hallways. _That's a good question._

"I suppose I don't hate it. I just wish people were a bit nicer." You laughed awkwardly during your last sentence. _Oof._

"I understand that all too well." She laughed awkwardly as well, that was comforting. "Can I ask you something?" Makoto asked, her intense crimson gaze landing on you. 

You froze slightly, not sure what to expect. "Go for it." 

"Are you actually friends with Akechi-kun?" She gave you an unsure look, like she wasn't sure if she should have asked that question or not.

"Mmm. I wouldn't call us friends. I usually run into him on my way to school. He probably just talks to me because he's trying to be nice or something." You explained. Honestly, you weren't sure if you could call him a friend or not. You doubted he considered you anything more than a classmate.

Makoto looked kind of surprised, though she quickly wiped that look off of her face. "I shouldn't be surprised. Rumors are almost never true. Is he at least nice to talk to? I've only spoken to him a few times, but they were brief." _Is she interrogating me?_

You giggled and put your hand over your mouth. "Why so curious Niijima-san? Are you jealous?" You joked.

"N-no!" She stuttered and looked a bit confused. "I was just wondering if he treated you well is all. Being a foreigner and an honor student must be hard for you." _Oh._ Now you felt bad for teasing her. She had no ulterior motive by asking these questions. She was just worried about you.

Giving her a genuine smile, you began to speak, "I'm only teasing. I really appreciate your concern. It's a nice change compared to all of the things the students at Ichiryu have been saying about me. Honestly, Akechi-kun is really nice to be around. He's fun to joke around with. He's quick-witted so he always has a comeback." Your response seemed to satisfy her as she nodded when you finished speaking.

"He seems like a good person. My sister trusts him a lot. They've been working together for a while now." _Mmm Sae. She's so pretty._

Sadly, your conversation was cut short because you both reached the principals office. "Well, here we are. I'll see you later." Makoto said while reaching for the door handle to open the door for you.

You nodded and smiled at her. "Sure! See ya." Heading into the office, you noticed a handful of teachers as well as the Principal. They all turned their attention to you once you walked in. _Oh god._

"Welcome back L/N-san. I'd like to introduce you to Shujin Academy's English staff. You will be working with them from today on." Principal Kobayakawa introduced you to six teachers. Two for each grade. Ugh. By the looks they were giving you, you were definitely going to have a rough time. They were probably going to throw all of their work onto you. _How fun._

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm looking forward to working with you." You gave them a pleasant smile and politely bowed. 

Most of the teachers nodded back at you in response, others just kind of glared at you. They clearly weren't happy that a high schooler was going to be working with them. Which is fair. You weren't really qualified to do anything other than tutor.

Kobayakawa led you to an unused classroom on the second floor where you would be doing your tutoring. Upon entering, you noticed that it was filled to the brim with students who wanted help. _Oh boy._ You immediately began to get nervous. No one there looked familiar to you. 

You were almost hoping that you'd see one of the Thieves there. You knew that they would probably be the friendliest out of everyone here.

"Well. I'll leave you to it. Good luck on your first day. You can head to this classroom tomorrow when you get here. No need to visit me first." Kobayakawa said as he walked through the door, not wanting to stick around. _Welp. Now I'm on my own. Here goes nothing._

"Good afternoon everyone. My name is Y/N L/N. I'm a third year American transfer student from Ichiryu Academy and I'll be your English tutor. I'll be walking around the room to check on everyone's work. If you need my help, don't hesitate to ask. It's what I'm here for after all." You gave them all a gentle smile, lifting your shoulders and tilting your head a bit to appear less intimidating. Hoping that they wouldn't be afraid to ask for your help. You knew that Japanese students were a bit more hesitant when it came to asking for help. They didn't want to seem incompetent. 

Thankfully though, a few students raised their hands, asking for your assistance with their English homework. You made sure to praise them for the things they got right and gently guide them towards the right answer if they were wrong. You wanted to make sure that everyone was confident enough to ask for help.

Despite being nervous in the beginning, you slowly got the hang of working with them. You even used the chalk board to write down explanations when students needed it. They all took notes when you explained certain aspects of grammar.

Once the bell rang, you waited about 5 minutes before continuing what you were doing. A handful of students left, and even more came in. You'd have to talk to Principal Kobayakawa about the lack of seating. You were going to need a bigger classroom.

You reintroduced yourself for the new students who arrived and got to work helping them. This was turning out to be kind of fun. None of the students were talking about you. Plus, you even got to joke around with a few of them.

However, before your tutoring time was up, one of the English teachers stopped by to ask you to 'evaluate' her students work. Meaning, she just dumped a pile of papers on your desk and expected you to grade them. You had to have them back to her by the end of the week. _Welp._ You saw this coming, you just didn't expect it would be so soon.

Once the last student had left, you packed up your things and stuffed the stack of papers into your bag. You'd start working on them when you got home. First, you wanted to go find somewhere to eat dinner and do a bit of window shopping for things you could use to spruce up your apartment. Add a bit of liveliness to it. Maybe you'd get some plants. You loved gardening when you lived in California.

On your way down the stairs at Shujin's front entrance, you noticed two familiar individuals, whispering about something, probably Kamoshida's palace. Both of the boys turned their attention towards you once they noticed you.

Ren seemed to recognize you first. "Hey there Senpai." _Oh god. Ren Amamiya just called me Senpai._ That's not something you ever expected to happen. It took a moment for Ryuji to recognize you. "Oh it's you. Uh. Thanks for yesterday. You really didn't have to do that, uhhhh..." Ryuji trailed off. _Oh that's right. I never introduced myself._

"Oh! My name is Y/N L/N." You politely bowed at the boys. "And don't worry about it. I'm glad I could help." A slight grimace made its way onto your face as you recalled the dumbass stunt you pulled with Kamoshida. At least Ryuji wouldn't be getting expelled... yet.

"I'm Ren Amamiya." Ren spoke up, introducing himself. _God his voice is glorious._ You wanted to record him talking and use it as white noise while you fell asleep. _No wonder why all of the female confidants fell in love with him._

"Ryuji Sakamoto. Pleasure to meet you L/N-senpai." _Oh god._ Now Ryuji was calling you senpai. Before you could tell them that there was no need to use that honorific when addressing you, Ryuji started speaking again. "So... Are you not going to listen to what Kamoshida said? About avoidin' us and all?" _Oof. Poor guy. Obviously I'm not going to listen to that asswipe._

You shook your head. "Of course I'm not going to listen to him. You two don't seem that bad. Well, I could be wrong, but I'd like to give you a chance to prove that you aren't just delinquents at least." Ryuji grinned at you as you spoke, clearly happy that you weren't going to let others influence your judgements without knowing all sides.

"Well, I should get going. Do you have any recommendations on places to get a quick bite to eat? I'm new to Tokyo so I don't know where to start when it comes to getting a good meal." Ren twisted his bangs as he thought about your question for a moment. 

"You should try a café called Leblanc. Cozy atmosphere, delicious coffee and curry. It's in Yongen Jaya if you're interested." You had forgotten about Leblanc. _Well, it couldn't hurt to try it._ You nodded as you contemplated whether you wanted to go or not.

Ryuji spoke up with a recommendation of his own. "There's a ramen restaurant in Ogikubo if you're interested in something cheap and quick." _Damn. Both good options._

"Mmm. Those both sound so good. I'll have to think about it on my walk to the station." You laughed a bit at your indecisiveness. The boys chuckled as well. "It was nice meeting you both. I hope we can talk again soon!"

They waved at you as you walked off, they were probably off to infiltrate Kamoshida's palace again. _Good luck boys. You'll do just fine._

As you entered the station, three familiar female voices echoed throughout the room, making you cringe.

"Y/N!!" They all said your name in unison. _God why. Why couldn't it have been Akechi or Makoto?_

You turned towards the group of girls and smiled at them. _Well. At least they were familiar faces._

"What are you doing here?" Kaylee asked as she approached you. Her long, thick black hair bouncing as she walked. The sisters looked at you expectantly.

"I hit the jackpot. I managed to get a job as an English tutor at Shujin Academy. I just finished my first day." You explained, watching as Callie raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"What was that thing you said the other day? Don't get involved in the plot? Here you are tutoring at the school where everything goes down." You almost wanted to punch her. Almost. Callie was right, you couldn't deny that.

"You're not wrong, however, I need a job in order to pay rent and Kobayakawa offered me enough to pay my rent. Now I won't have to get two part time jobs." A sigh escaped your lips as exhaustion washed over you. The thought of food was clogging up your mind. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gunna hunt down a place to eat. I'm craving ramen." You'd visit Leblanc next time. Maybe you'll head there when you need a place to study and work on homework or grade papers that isn't your apartment.

"Ooooo that sounds good. Can we come?" Brook asked, which was a bit surprising. She definitely didn't like you, so why did she want to join you for dinner? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to let them join you. It could give you all the chance to put the past behind you.

"Obviously we're going." Callie interjected, not even giving you the chance to answer. Maybe you wouldn't be putting the past behind you after all.

You sighed as you gestured them to follow you and headed towards your train. _This ramen better be worth it, Ryuji._

The train ride to Ogikubo wasn't anything special. You all had to stand, but thankfully, the train wasn't too crowded and you didn't encounter any creepy adults. 

"How was work today? Do you think you'll enjoy it?" Kaylee asked, trying to make small talk so your walk to the ramen shop wouldn't be too awkward. You weren't sure if you appreciated that or not.

"It went alright I suppose. I was pretty nervous at first, but as the day went on, it got easier. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'll like it. The English teachers are already dumping their work onto me." You weren't really sure what to say. Your day wasn't really eventful or anything, but of course, Callie had to interrupt the two of you with a question of her own, completely changing the subject.

"So. Are you in love with Akechi? You seem to be spending a lot of time with him." She didn't bother using an honorific when saying his name. A bit rude.

You just looked at her and cringed. "What gave you that impression? You know a guy and a girl can be friends, right? That's a normal thing in society. Plus, he's in my class. He's just being nice to me by talking to me." Might as well speak your mind. No point in being sarcastic with her. She'd probably take you seriously if you did try to joke.

"Just sayin'. He's too good for you." _Ouch._ Kaylee looked absolutely bewildered and Brook just shook her head at her sisters rude response. _Yikes._

"Are you jealous or something?" Callie definitely didn't like your retort. She looked absolutely furious, but didn't say anything more because Brook interrupted.

"Hey, you wanted to go to a ramen shop right? Isn't this one?" She asked and pointed to a familiar looking restaurant. _Ohhhhhh. So that's why the name of the district sounded familiar. This is the place that Ryuji takes Ren after they infiltrate Kamoshida's palace for the second time._

"Oh yeah! This is probably the place that student recommended to me." You said, walking towards the entrance. Thankfully, there weren't many people around, so you were able to get seats together. Kaylee sat on your right, Brook on your left and Callie sat on Brooks left.

Being the kind individual that you were, you helped the others read the menu and order their meals, since none of them knew Japanese.

God it smelled amazing in the restaurant. Your mouth watered more and more as you waited for your meal. The grumbling of your stomach was getting louder as well. Maybe you should start packing a snack for after school. You could eat it on the train ride to Shujin. Just a little something to hold you over until dinner.

The moment your ramen was set down in front of you, you began eating. Despite only being a few hundred yen, it was absolutely delicious. The meat was cooked to perfection and the broth, hoo boy, the broth. It was savory and full of flavor. Adding a bit of chili oil and green onions gave your soup a bit of a kick. You made a mental note to hug Ryuji and thank him for recommending this place to you the next time you saw him.

"Wow this is tasty." Kaylee spoke up beside you as she slurped up a noodle. You couldn't agree more.

"It really is. I'll make sure to thank the student who recommended this place to me." You said as you brought the bowl up to your lips so you could drink the broth.

"Thank them for me too." Brook said beside you as she took a sip of water. "Ditto." Kaylee laughed. Callie just stayed silent, brooding up a storm in her seat at the end. _Stay mad._

The four of you paid for your bills and headed to the exit. "Well, I'm going to do some exploring. I want to find some things to decorate my apartment." Your eyes gazed around the local shops as you did so, looking for anything that looked interesting.

"I'm ready for bed." Brook yawned, raising a hand to cover her mouth. _Same girl. Same._

"Yeah we should probably get going. We have curfews since we live in the dorms so we can't stay out too late." Kaylee looked a bit sad as she said that. She probably wanted to window shop with you. 

"Lets go." Is all Callie said before turning and walking off. The other girls sighed.

"We've only been here for three days and I'm pretty sure she already has feelings for Akechi-kun." Kaylee whispered to you. "So it's not surprising that she's jealous that you're getting his attention." You figured that, yet you couldn't help but appreciate Kaylee for saying that. Maybe she did want to put your pasts behind you.

You smiled at her and nodded. "Goodnight guys. Text me when you get back to your dorms so I know you got back safe." They both nodded and said their goodbyes before running after Callie.

Eating gave you back much of your strength. You were now walking with a bit of pep in your step as you began exploring what Ogikubo had to offer. There were tons of ramen shops, though, you weren't sure if you'd ever try them. The one you had just gone to was your favorite by far.

There were a few shops that sold knick knacks, which you immediately headed into. One of the shops you went into had adorable picture frames, each holding a placeholder picture of a happy looking family. Looking at them made a couple of questions pop into your head. _Are my parents in this world?_ _Did this world at least have its own version of my parents?_ You typed your mothers number into your phone and called it. All you received was a 'This number is out of service' message. _Of course they weren't. Why would they be in this world?_

A stinging pain pierced your heart. You wished you could've at least said goodbye to your family. _Once the story was over, would I go back to my family? Or would I end up staying here? Did they notice that I'm gone? Or would this all be like a dream, where I'd wake up once I defeated the final boss of the game and it would be the Sunday before my senior year of school started again? That would suck._

You knew you shouldn't dwell on the thought. It would only make you feel worse. For now, you focused on the cute little kitty figurine sitting in front of you. It was only ¥500, which you thought was an absolute steal, so you bought it.

By the time you walked out of the shop, it was getting dark. _Damn. How long have I been shopping? And why have I only bought one thing in all this time?_

"Senpai?" A soothing voice spoke up behind you.

"Oh hey Amamiya-kun! I didn't think I'd see you again so soon." You smiled up at him despite cringing inwardly at the word 'senpai'. It's not like you thought it was weird or anything. You just never imagined yourself being anyone's senpai. Especially the protagonist of one of your favorite video games.

Ren smiled down at you, looking exhausted. "Did you try that ramen place Ryuji suggested?" _God, yes I did._ You would've gotten a second serving if you weren't watching your sodium intake. You didn't want to eat too many unhealthy foods before you were able to establish a good workout routine.

"Yeah I did. The moment he mentioned ramen, I started craving it. It was absolutely delicious." You gushed, daydreaming about the next time you'd get to eat it. Ren chuckled at your response.

"What are you doing out here so late? It's getting dark." Ren is more chatty than you expected him to be. Well, he was still a quiet person, you just didn't expect him to try to keep a conversation going like this. He seemed more like a listener.

"I thought I'd do a bit of shopping. My apartment is pretty bare at the moment so I was hoping to buy some things to liven the place up." You laughed a bit and pulled out the little cat figurine you had bought to show him. "In my hour or so of shopping, this is the only thing I got." You sighed as he took it from your hands and examined it.

"A fine choice." He laughed a bit and handed you the cat back. You laughed along with him. _Damn. He's easy to get along with._

"I know right." You quipped back, giving him a cheeky smile as you placed it back in your bag. "I wish I had more time to explore, but I don't want to be out here when it gets dark."

"Have you looked around in the underground mall in Shibuya? That place seems pretty popular. If we hurry, we could possibly look around a few stores there." _Wait, we? He wants to go with me?_

You looked him up and down for a moment. _Should I let him come with me? Sojiro was going to be pissed when he got back, plus he looked like he wanted to collapse._ "Amamiya-kun, are you sure you want to hang out with me? You look like you're on the verge of falling asleep. I don't want you to overwhelm yourself or anything." Your concern for his wellbeing must've surprised him because his onyx eyes slightly widened behind his large glasses and his mouth dropped open a bit.

Ren smiled at you, he was absolutely adorable. The overwhelming urge to be his best friend overtook you. _Alright game. You win. I'll join the Persona 5 plot so I can be friends with Ren-Ren._ "I'll be alright. Besides, I have to take the Shibuya line to get back home anyways. Come on. We should get going before it gets too dark." He said, nodding towards the station as he spoke, turning a bit to start walking.

"Well, if you're sure." You smiled back at him and started walking beside him. The prospect of making real friends in this world excited you to no end. 

"How was your first couple days of school?" You asked, mentally cringing because you already knew the answer. 

Ren's onyx eyes squinted ever so slightly, like he had flinched. "I ended up being late yesterday because I got lost. Today wasn't anything special. Just lots of rumors and people talking about me." He didn't go into much detail, but you wouldn't pry. You looked at him for a moment, causing him to cock his eyebrow at you. 

"I can relate to that second part." You sighed and looked away from him. "The students at my high school have been saying some pretty harsh things about me because I walked into school yesterday with the most popular boy in school, Goro Akechi." The stairs that led into the station were only a few feet in front of you now.

"Goro Akechi? I've heard that name before." Ren questions as he begins his descent down the stairs. 

"Oh really? He's pretty popular at my school. I can see why though. He's handsome, charming, and fun to talk to. Like the total package." You giggled, probably sounding like a lovestruck teenager.

Ren laughs a bit as well. "From what I heard on the train yesterday, he's famous for his detective work." It took a moment for his words to register in your brain. _How should I react? Should I pretend that I didn't know? Would he even believe me?_

Your tired brain clearly wasn't thinking straight, because you froze, opening your mouth slightly and widening your eyes. "He's what now?" You forced your voice to come out as a whisper. Ren just laughed harder.

"You didn't know? He's all the people on the train talk about." Ren looked at you playfully, like he didn't believe you.

You rolled your eyes and continued walking. "To be honest, that makes a lot of sense considering all of the girls in my school hate me. Whenever I'm riding on the trains, I try to tune everyone out. Thinking back on it, I've definitely heard people talking about him on the trains." You shook your head and laughed. "Damn. I should probably pay more attention."

That seemed to convince Ren, even though your reasoning was shaky. He nodded at your words. "It's alright. I try to tune them out as well. I only heard about him because some girls were watching one of his interviews and gossiping about how cute he was."

"He's definitely a cutie." You giggled and skipped a bit along with Ren. You weren't sure why, but you felt so comfortable around him. It was fun to just let go and joke around a bit.

Ren just shook his head and walked faster to keep up with you. "You in love with him?" He's clearly just teasing you. It's no wonder why Akechi enjoyed being around Ren. Ren's quick-witted and fun to hang out with. 

"Is it that obvious?" You teased back, going along with his joke. "I've only known him for like, 3 days now and he's managed to steal my heart." Dramatically, you put the back of your hand to your forehead and pretended to swoon, falling towards Ren, who caught you. 

"Alright Senpai. Stop drooling and pick yourself up, our train is almost here." _Oh god._ You weren't sure if you'd ever get used to being called 'Senpai'. Ren gently hooked his arm around yours and dragged you to the train. You're kind of glad he did that though. You definitely would've missed your train if you had messed around any longer.

The train ride to Shibuya was filled with small talk about the weather and the classes you were taking. You did your best to pay close attention to what he was saying. Ren probably didn't get to talk about himself much.

Once you had reached the underground mall, Ren immediately began dragging you to different stores he thought you would be interested in. You didn't mind this though, if anything, you were surprised that he still had the energy to hang out with you like this.

With his help, you bought a handful of small potted succulents and a cute mug that you would use for drinking tea or coffee.

Currently, you were walking with him to his train to say goodbye. _Sojiro is definitely going to be mad at him for being out so late. Oops._

"Oh Amamiya-kun. Could I possibly get your number and ID? We should hang out again sometime." You held out your phone to him as you both came to a stop at the waiting platform.

Ren scooped your phone out of your hands and typed in his information. "I agree. I had fun spending time with you today." He looked even more tired than he did when you first ran into each other. He was definitely going to sleep well tonight.

"Me too. I should get going now. Goodnight!" You smiled up at him as he handed you back your phone.

"Goodnight L/N-senpai." Maybe him calling you senpai wasn't such a bad thing. It kind of made you feel good to know he looked up to you.

The walk to your apartment was calming, despite the number of people walking around the streets of Shibuya. For the first time in a long time, you were happy. You had made a friend! Maybe someday, you could hang out with Makoto or even Akechi outside of school like this. The idea of making friends with your favorite video game characters excited you. 

Your dinner consisted of tempura shrimp, freshly sliced cucumber and rice. You didn't have the energy to cook more.

For about an hour, you worked on the papers you had been given by one of the English teachers. You still couldn't figure out how you had gotten this job.

No point in dwelling on it you supposed. This job was helping you make friends, so you probably shouldn't complain.

After a quick shower, you collapsed in your soft, queen sized bed. The warm bedsheets had practically been calling your name since you got home. Your consciousness immediately began drifting away. That was until a thought slammed itself so hard against the front of your mind that it caused you to sit up straight. The world around you spun as the idea sunk into your brain.

The overwhelming urge to be friends with Ren. The immediate connection you seemed to have with him, despite only hanging out with him for an hour or so. You also exchanged numbers with him, and were planning to hang out with him again. _Oh boy._

You had become a confidant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize that the story is going a bit slow right now, but I promise it'll pick up soon :') As time goes on, the chapters will include more days. I don't have the creativeness to write an entire chapter for every single day dhksfajhskdjafk. I'm just fleshing out the plot in these first few chapters.


	5. Establishing Friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamoshida is quite the scary individual. Thankfully, a certain student council president manages to get you away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like writing text conversations so they'll appear every once and a while in this fic :)
> 
> Also warning! Kamoshida gets a bit handsy in this chapter. I'll put a warning before that part just in case you don't want to read it! It's nothing sexual, just creepy and unwanted affection.
> 
> There's also talk about panic attacks/the beginnings of a panic attack. Everyone is different when it comes to panic attacks, so please don't comment saying that that's not how panic attacks work or I'm wrong ;; I'm using my own experience with panic attacks to describe what the reader is feeling and what she's thinking. (I'm only saying this because someone tried to invalidate my panic attacks before hakjdhka. Like bro what? Sorry i'm not having the exact same experience as you hhhhh)

**April 13th. Wednesday. Morning**

A soft groan rumbled in your throat as you reached for your phone to turn off your alarm. Despite being tired from your long day yesterday, your mind wouldn't stop thinking throughout the night. You had become one of Ren's confidants. Your curiosity kept you from sleeping. _Which Arcana am I? World would make the most sense, since I'm from a different one. Maybe I'm Aeon, Hunger, or Jester? Maybe Universe? Universe would also make sense. Or am I a minor Arcana? Maybe I should figure out a way into the Metaverse and try to awaken to a persona, that way I could figure out which Arcana I am._

You could admit that that was a dumb idea, but seeing as you had given up on trying to fight whatever was forcing you to interact with the Thieves, you thought it would be worth a shot.

**Confused Bitches**

**6:00A.M**

Good morning guys. We should meet up soon to discuss whatever the fuck is going on. : **Y/N**

 **Kaylee** : Good morning! Yes please. Callie hasn't explained much to us.

 **Brook:** Good morning. I agree. We should be free tonight.

 **Callie:** Maybe. I might have plans.

Well keep me posted. Maybe you guys could come over for dinner at my place. We need to talk about this in private. : **Y/N**

 **Kaylee:** MAC & CHEESE OR NO DEAL

 **Callie:** We aren't children Kaylee. Don't make anything gross.

 **Kaylee:** Oh okay sorry.

 **Brook:** A home cooked meal sounds great.

I need to go shopping so how does tomorrow night sound? It'll give me time to prep and stuff. : **Y/N**

 **Callie:** Fine

 **Brook:** Alrighty!

 **Kaylee:** I'll keep my schedule clear!

Once you had finished your little conversation with the others, you slid out of bed and locked yourself in the confines of your bathroom to get ready.

 _Today is the volleyball rally at Shujin, right? Will I still be released after 7th period like usual?_ You kind of hoped you would, even though the volleyball rally would be happening all day and you wouldn't be tutoring during 8th period. If anything, you kind of wanted to watch, it was a fun sport.

All you made for breakfast was miso soup and rice. You were running out of certain foods already, probably because you didn't buy that many things on Sunday. You decided that later today, you'd head to the grocery store with an actual list of items that you needed to buy.

For your lunch, you made rolled ham and cheese katsu, cleaned and cut up a red bell pepper, and cleaned a handful of baby carrots. You also added rice and a small container full of ranch for your vegetables.

Once you had gotten dressed, you began working on a grocery list. Eggs, chicken, ground pork, rice, scallions, mustard greens, strawberries, cherries, and lemons. You decided that you'd come back after tutoring and take a second look at what you needed before going to the store.

Grabbing your school bag and key, you headed out of your apartment. Upon exiting the entrance to the lobby, you noticed a certain famous young man standing by the stairs, staring down at his phone.

"Akechi-kun?" The detective lifted his head at the sound of your voice and watched you walked down the stairs towards him.

"Good morning, L/N-san." He gave you a pleasant smile as you approached him. 

It took you a moment to process the fact that he was standing by the steps of your apartment complex. "Were you... waiting for me?" You asked hesitantly, looking up at him. You hadn't been expecting this. 

"Well, yes. Should I not have?" Akechi gave you an innocently inquisitive look, like he wasn't sure why you were so surprised.

"No it's not that. I appreciate it actually. I just wasn't expecting you to wait for me is all." You admitted. _Maybe he did see me as more than just a classmate._

The two of you turned and began heading towards the station before he spoke up again.

"Ah. Before I forget. Could I possibly get your number and ID? If I'm going to be waiting for you every morning, I don't want to end up accidentally waiting for you on days where you don't go to school or days you might be late for whatever reason." The Ace Detective Prince handed you his phone so that you could enter your information. You quickly typed in your contact information and handed his phone back to him, before putting his phone away, he sent you a text so that you'd also have his contact info.

"Don't go giving anyone my phone number now." He teased as he slid his phone into the pocket of his black slacks.

You rolled your eyes, a dumb comeback already on the tip of your tongue. "Too late my dear knight. The moment my phone received your contact information, it sent a mass email to every media outlet in Tokyo. Your phone number and ID are now public knowledge." 

His eyes widened for a moment before he laughed. It wasn't quite genuine, but it didn't sound like a practiced laugh either. "What a shame. I guess I'll have to change my phone number now. I won't be giving that information to you a second time, obviously. I've learned my lesson. It's too bad. I was looking forward to conversating with you more outside of school, but I suppose fate is a cruel mistress." 

Akechi's response had you cackling, but your heart was racing. _Did he really mean it? He wants to talk with me more? Or was it just a part of his joke?_

"Oh no! Please give me another chance! I promise I'll change for the better!" You did your best to give him puppy dog eyes, but it was hard to keep a straight face when you wanted to laugh. 

Akechi just grinned down at you and shook his head. "It's too late. The damage is done." 

You hovered a hand over your mouth as you laughed. _Wait a minute... am I a confidant of Akechi's now too?_ Your bond with him was more of a gradual connection, unlike with Ren, but you still wanted to be friends with him. You wondered if Akechi would awaken to a third persona because of you.

While waiting for the Ginza line, a certain blonde haired girl caught your attention. _Ann. Goodness she's gorgeous._ You had a hard time tearing your eyes off of her when your train approached. Akechi seemed to have noticed your staring because he immediately teased you about it. 

"I didn't know you swung that way L/N-san." _Oh haha. Says the one the Persona 5 fandom ships with the male protagonist._ You scoffed and looked up at him.

"Am I not allowed to think a girl is pretty?" You asked, even though you knew you wouldn't say no to a date with her.

He chuckled as you both began your trek to school. During your transfers, you kept an eye open for a possible convenience store where you could buy an afterschool snack. You also contemplated stopping by the cafeteria to see what the vending machines had to offer.

Once again, walking into school was rough. Today, the students decided that pointing at you and Akechi was an appropriate thing to do. From the corner of your eye, you could see Akechi stealing glances at you. All you did was sigh, not wanting to acknowledge or encourage their behavior.

Callie, Kaylee, Brook and that group of girls they were with yesterday were all waiting around their lockers, obviously waiting for Akechi. They all immediately started fangirling when he smiled at them.

"Good morning ladies." His said as he walked past them and to his locker, to which the girls followed him, blocking you from your locker. _Oh come on._ You looked over at Akechi and made eye contact with him, then you looked at the horde of girls in front of your locker, then back to Akechi. 

"Ah. Could you possibly move? You're blocking L/N-san from her locker." Akechi's charm had most of them swooning. They immediately did what Akechi asked of them, leaving you room to get to your locker.

"Thank you." You groaned quietly as you began stuffing books into your bag. For a moment, you thought about talking to Principal Victoria about switching lockers. This was only going to get worse as the year went on, so it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Hey Akechi.~" Callie purred, linking her arm with his. Akechi froze, adams apple bobbing as he swallowed. His left arm stopped, outstretched, reaching for a book in his locker. "You're smart right? Would you come to my dorm afterschool and help me with my math homework?" _Ah. So this is what she meant when she said she might have plans after school._ You looked over at Akechi, who seemed to have shut down. Affection like this clearly wasn't something he was comfortable with. Your heart almost ached for him.

Shutting your locker, you glanced over to Callie, who was squeezing Akechi's bicep. Flirting like this was common in California, but this kind of affection wasn't shown often in Japan. "Don't you usually work after school?" You asked Akechi, throwing him a bone. That seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he had been in because he gently removed his arm from hers.

"Yes I do, so my apologies, but I won't be able to help you. Ichiryu offers afterschool tutoring if you really need the help." It looked like he had come back to this reality. You kind of thought that he'd be used to the unwanted affection from his needy fangirls. From the looks of it, he gets overwhelmed easily when it comes to affection.

You walked past the group of girls, deciding that you'd stop by the cafeteria to check out the vending machines since you had some time before the bell rang. Akechi shut the door to his locker and quickly followed you. "I'm heading to the cafeteria if you want to come with me." You told him, though you thought he'd probably want to go hide in your classroom.

He smiled down at you, as if he hadn't just been traumatized by a clingy fangirl. "Sure. I'll join you. It'll give me a chance to find something for lunch." You let your eyes linger on his face for a moment in surprise. You found it sad that he was so good at hiding his emotions. Despite everything he's done and will do, he's still a human with real feelings and emotions.

"Are you alright?" You asked softly, looking away from him. He probably wouldn't want your pity.

"Yes. I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting that is all. Thank you." He spoke just as softly as you did, his eyes focused on the path in front of you. You didn't speak about it any more, figuring that he'd rather just not talk at the moment.

The cafeteria offered some pretty nice things. A small package a chocolate chip cookies in one of the vending machines caught your eyes. _Perfect._ Something light, yet sugary would definitely help you get through the rest of the day. Before you could put the money into the machine though, a gloved hand appeared and slipped in some coins, then poked in the slot number that had the cookies.

You looked over at Akechi and raised an eyebrow. "A thank you gift for helping me out earlier." Was all he said, not sparing you a glance. He probably felt obligated to do something nice for you in return.

"A simple 'thank you' was enough you know, but I suppose I can't complain about free food." You said as you reached for the cookies, a smile lighting up your face. You couldn't wait to try them.

"We should start heading to class." He nodded towards the digital clock on the wall, causing you to look over. The bell was going to ring in a few minutes. You nodded and began walking to class with him.

Classes went by as normal. You tried your best to ignore the whispers in between periods and did your best to pay attention, even though the stares were overwhelming. The pencil that you held in your hand danced in between your fingers whenever you weren't writing. You always twirled your pencil when you were nervous. Twirling your pencil started out as a fun way to spice up a boring class, but quickly turned into a coping mechanism.

By the time lunch came around, you were ready to launch out of your seat once again, mostly because you wanted to finish grading those papers you were given, but also because people were mean and your emotions were fragile.

The bell finally rang and you were the first one out of class again. After a brisk walk, you found yourself smiling and waving to the friendly librarian as you entered her domain. Once you had climbed up to the second floor, you took a moment to look at the books on one of the bookshelves. You had been wanting to check out a book, so now was a good enough a time as any to finally look a bit.

"Romance novels? I'm personally not a fan of the genre." Akechi's serene voice spoke up beside you. _I bet you're into murder mysteries. Are you just going to start joining me for lunch now?_

"Normally, I'm not either, but I try not to judge them without reading them first. I've actually found quite a few romance novels that I've enjoyed. Although, most of the ones I've read are mushy cliché's. I prefer mystery or fantasy. Something that gets the brain going, ya know?" You looked over at him and smiled, causing him to smile back at you. You both ventured over to the table you had been sitting at during lunch for the past few days.

"What do you have for lunch today?" Akechi asked, eyeing your bento box once again as you took it out of your bag. You laughed a bit and opened it for him to see.

"It's nothing special. Ham and cheese katsu, fresh veggies and rice. I need to head to the grocery store again soon." You sighed and slid your lunch over to him, giving him the option to try what you made. The detective removed his glove before he reached for one of the katsu rolls. Your eyes lingered on his hand. His skin looked so soft. You found yourself wondering what it would be like to hold hands with him.

The soft crunch the food made as he took a bite was satisfying. You were glad that they hadn't gotten soggy. While he chewed, you turned to get the papers out of your bag.

"A simple classic. Reminds me of the lunches my mother would make me when I was younger." Akechi mentioning his mother surprised you. If you remembered correctly, a bit of his family history was public knowledge, but you didn't expect him to slip up like this. What happened with Callie earlier this morning must have really messed with him. "Once again, you're a good cook." His last statement was said a bit quicker than the previous sentences. He was probably trying to cover up what he just said. You wouldn't pry.

"If you're ever interested, I could make you lunch as well. Just tell me the night before so I can prep the food." You said grinning, resting your chin on your hands as you gazed at him, slightly changing the topic. This seemed to catch his attention.

His face lit up at the idea of having homemade lunches. "Oh really? What do you want in return?" He asked, staring at you with a gaze you could only describe as analytical. 

You scrunched up your eyebrows slightly as you thought about his words. "What do you mean?" 

Akechi's eyes widened slightly for just a moment before he continued speaking. "You must want something in return for making me lunch. What would you like? Money? Fame? Power?" His little joke at the end made you giggle.

"Ahha yes. If you- If you can supply me with the power to rule this c-country, I'll make you lunch whenever- ah- whenever you want." You raised a hand to hover it over your mouth as you laughed through your retort. Akechi chuckled along with you, a hand covering his mouth as well. "But in all seriousness," You began, wiping a tear from your eye, "what makes you think I want something in return?" You finished as you calmed down, slightly tilting your head as you looked at him.

"Your hard work shouldn't go unrewarded." He explained, though you were finally starting to understand. _He probably thinks I have an ulterior motive._

You raised your right hand and rested it on your chin as you crossed your legs, looking down in thought. _Is there anything I want from him? Maybe I could ask him to take me to Mementos. No that's dumb. Should I ask him to take me to a fancy restaurant? That doesn't really seem fair though. I'm only making him lunch..._

Shaking your head, you looked back up at him. "I honestly can't come up with anything I'd want in return from you. However, if you really won't let me do this for free, I'll continue to think about it and if I ever come up with something I'd like, I'll tell you. Or I don't know, you can surprise me with stuff or something if it really means that much to you. Deal?" You held out your hand for him to shake, excitement coursing through your veins. You rarely ever got to cook for others.

He pondered your words for a moment before reaching over to shake your hand. "Alright. I suppose that could work. You've got yourself a deal. The moment you think of anything, please let me know." His grip was firm and warm. You mentally scolded yourself because of the butterflies that erupted in your stomach. This wasn't quite hand holding, but it was probably the closest you'll ever get to actually holding his hand.

"I'll go to the market later today, why don't you write up a list of things you like and things you don't like? So I know what to get and what to avoid while I'm there. I could make you lunch either tomorrow or maybe Friday. I'll have to buy you a bento box of your own too. What size to you want?" In your excitement, you threw a handful of questions at him, half mumbling to yourself and half actually talking to him.

The sound of him laughing brought you out of your ramble. "I'll buy my own reusable bento and give it to you tomorrow, then if you want, you can make me lunch on Friday. I'll get to work on a list for you now." The detective immediately got out a piece of paper and began writing what you asked.

While you waited for him, you began to work on grading the rest of the English papers. You hoped you were grading them right. The teacher didn't give you a grading rubric or any sort of guidelines when it came to what she was expecting from her students.

It didn't take long for Akechi to slide the piece of paper over to you when he finished. Taking a quick peak at it, you noticed 'No spicy foods' was underlined, causing you to laugh by exhaling through your nose. You could feel him staring at you. "Not a fan of spicy foods?" You asked as you continued to skim his list, a small smile sitting on your lips. He didn't have a lot of dislikes which was good. You were a little surprised to find that you and him had similar tastes when it came to food.

"I can handle a bit of heat, but I've found that my definition and other peoples definition of 'a bit of heat' are often drastically different." He explained as he turned his attention back to his own lunch and work. You thought that made sense. You loved spicy foods so 'a bit' to you is probably a lot for him.

By the time the lunch bell rang, you had put a sizable dent into the papers you had been given, though you still had a few more to go. If you could find a seat on the train, you could finish grading them then. You slipped Akechi's list into your pocket as you packed up your things and prepared for the walk to class.

Akechi made small talk about his work on your way back to class. He mostly just talked about how difficult the cases could be and how he would often pull all-nighters trying to solve them. You cringed at the thought of pulling an all-nighter then going to school the next day. You've done that more times than you'd like to admit.

Once you had been dismissed from your 8th period study hall class like usual, you made your way to your locker, then to the station. Upon entering the station, you rummaged through your school bag to get your cookies.

While you waited for your train, you began eating them. A smile immediately made its way up your cheeks as you savored the taste. They were delicious. Slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. When your train arrived, you weren't able to get a seat, however, it gave you time to finish your afterschool snack.

As you walked into Shujin, you noticed a handful of students were loitering around in the halls in their P.E. uniforms. One of them gave you directions to the gym so you could watch the rest of the volleyball rally.

**Trigger Warning: Kamoshida Creepiness. Also panic attack.**

The gymnasium was huge. The scent of sweat and despair wafted over you as you entered. A sudden and overwhelming urge to sprint out of the large sports room hit you like a truck. You felt like a deer being stalked by a wolf.

Slowly, you began scanning your eyes around the room, trying to find the reason your fight or flight response triggered. There he was, on the other side of the room. Kamoshida. He was standing with a handful of teachers who were all praising him for his hard work or something, but he wasn't really paying attention to them. His attention was directed solely at you.

You swallowed as you quickly ripped your gaze away from his, fear and adrenaline coursing through your veins. Panic started building in your chest as you continued to look around the room, hoping to spot a familiar face that you could interact with. _Kasumi. Ann. Haru. Anybody._ Being alone while in the sights of a predator made you want to cry.

"L/N! I didn't think you'd get here until after school ended." It took all of your strength to suppress the scream that clawed at the back of your throat as Kamoshida spoke to you. You were so focused on trying to find someone that you hadn't even noticed him approaching you.

"H-hello! I thought so too, but I ended up being released from class at the usual time so I've got some time to kill haha." You sounded so nervous as you rambled, and by the look on Kamoshida's face, he knew you were afraid of him. His grin twisted into a sickly sweet smirk, his eyes were staring directly at your chest. You were quickly becoming another prey item to him.

"Is that so? So you're here to watch the last game? I didn't realize you would be interested in volleyball." His voice made your toes curl and your throat close. You felt like a 200lbs weight was sitting on your chest, pushing all of the air out of your lungs. You were struggling to breathe.

"Yes. I'm not really a sports person, however I do think the games are fun to watch." Your voice trembled as you spoke. The students around you began whispering about you and Kamoshida. _Oh no._

"Come on then. Let's find a seat and watch together." The way he smiled at you made you want to throw up. When he reached over and rested his hand in between your shoulder blades to guide you to a seat, you nearly gagged. You were glad that you didn't have to feel his skin on yours.

He led you to a spot in the bleachers where you had a good view of the game. The current game was female teachers against female students. You noticed Kasumi amongst the girls playing on the student side.

Kamoshida made himself comfortable by leaning back into the bleachers, his arms spread across the seats behind you. He had almost pulled you onto his lap, but you managed to sit beside him. You could feel the horrific heat from his body due to how close you were sitting. You were all too aware of the presence of his arm behind you.

Sitting up straight, you did your best to subtly keep your distance from him. However, he seemed to know what you were doing, because he spread his legs and rested his right knee against your left knee. You couldn't stop your body from flinching. He was probably loving the way he made you squirm.

You were starting to get tunnel vision as panic enveloped your mind. Your breathing was becoming shaky and quick as the whispers of the students became louder and louder. The warmth his body exuded was becoming overwhelming. You were beginning to sweat profusely. Your leg bounced up and down uncontrollably as your mind became a jumbled mess of panic, fear and dread.

You knew that if you didn't find a way out of this situation soon, you'd have a full panic attack in front of the entire Shujin student body.

Kamoshida shifted beside you and moved himself closer to you. The grip you had on the end of your skirt made your knuckles turn white. _Someone, please help me..._

**Trigger warning end.**

"There you are, L/N-san." Your head snapped to the sound of a familiar voice. Your tunnel vision had you focused completely on the girl standing next to you. _Makoto Niijima._ "Sorry to interrupt, but Principal Kobayakawa would like to speak to you." Relief immediately washed over you. You didn't know why he wanted to speak with you and at the moment, you didn't care. All you could think about was how happy you were to see Makoto.

"Oh alright." Your voice was still shaking as you rose from your seat. "Sorry our time was cut short. Goodbye for now." You said to Kamoshida, barely able to look at him as you followed Makoto out of the gymnasium.

Taking a few deep breaths, you looked over at the Student Council President. "Did the Principal say why he wanted to talk to me?" Your voice came out so small. You still felt like a mouse being hunted by a cat.

Makoto didn't respond for a moment, she just continued to lead you away from the prying ears of the student body. "He doesn't want to talk to you. You just looked like you needed to get away from Kamoshida." She turned to look at you, a dangerous glint in her eyes. Makoto kind of looked mad.

You froze in place, mouth slightly agape as you stared at her. _She... just saved me from Kamoshida out of the kindness of her heart..._

A hard lump was forming in your throat. Makoto just gestured for you to continue following her. She led you up the stairs and to the quiet student council room. 

Once you were alone with her, you couldn't stop the whimper that escaped your throat as you sat down. "Thank you." Your voice was squeaky and airy because you were on the verge of crying. Makoto hesitantly reached over from her chair beside you to rub your back, probably unsure of how to comfort you.

You rested your elbows against the table you were sitting in front of and covered your eyes with your hands as you began to take long and slow deep breaths. _You're safe now. You're okay. You don't have to deal with him. For now at least._ You were used to talking yourself out of panic and anxiety attacks. Your therapist had given you some useful tips on how to ground yourself.

Slowly, you began using the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method. You listed 5 things you could hear, 4 things you could see, 3 things you could smell, 2 things you could feel and 1 thing you could taste. The world around you began coming back together, your vision broadening. 

You weren't really sure how long you had been sitting here alone with Makoto, but she never stopped rubbing your back while you calmed down. Finally, you removed your hands from your face and leaned back in your chair.

"Are you alright?" Makoto spoke up, her tone was soft. You nodded and smiled over at her. She went out of her way to help you when you needed it.

"Yeah. I'm okay now. Thank you..." You trailed off a bit as you took another deep breath, preparing yourself for what you wanted to say to her. "You're a good friend." 

Makoto's mouth dropped open a bit and her eyes widened as your words sunk in. A kind smile quickly replaced that initial shock as she spoke up, "By the way. You can call me Makoto if you'd like." It was her turn to surprise you. Your heart beat increased and you felt a slight blush heat up your cheeks. The panic you had felt earlier had completely dissolved into happiness as you processed what she just said. 

"Alright Makoto, but only if you call me, Y/N," You giggled and watched as a blush spread over her cheeks as well. 

Makoto nodded. "You've got yourself a deal, Y/N." You were officially on a first name basis with Makoto Niijima. She considered you to be close enough to her that she felt comfortable with you addressing her by her first name. You could practically hear your heart singing because of how happy you felt. At least, you thought it was singing.

However, a knock on the council room door ruined your moment with Makoto. "Come in." She spoke, quickly making her face neutral again.

You looked over as the door slid open, revealing the Principal. "Oh hello, L/N-san. I need to speak with Niijima-san alone for a bit, why don't you go ahead and head to your classroom?" Kobayakawa said, a smile plastered on his face as he looked down at you.

All you did was nod at him as you picked up your bag. "I'll see you later Makoto." You beamed at her as you spoke. Saying her first name was fun.

"I hope you have a nice day, Y/N." She smiled back at you while she spoke. After that, you took your leave and made your way towards the classroom.

Your hour of tutoring went by at the speed of light thanks to students constantly asking for your help. You didn't get to sit down at all during that hour, though you didn't mind, you were in a good mood so helping out the students was fun.

Once you had finished your hour of tutoring, you packed your things and headed towards the exit, only to run into a certain group of three being lectured by Kamoshida. Your mind instantly filled with panic and you could feel the color draining from your face as the boys turned their attention to you.

When Kamoshida noticed that he didn't have their attention any more, he turned around to see what they were so interested in. "Hello again. Just finished tutoring?" Kamoshida asked you as his eyes trailed up and down your body. _Disgusting pig._

"Hi there. Yes I did just finish." You squeaked like a mouse. His predatory vibe was truly overwhelming. You couldn't wait until the Phantom Thieves shoved their feet up his ass.

"I was just telling Mishima-kun here that he should be heading to volleyball practice. Why don't you come along? You look like you could make a good spiker." Your eyes trailed over to the raven haired boy as Kamoshida tried to convince you to join him. Mishima's bruised face made your blood boil. He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment.

"Sorry I can't. I have to hit the market today or I won't have anything to eat for lunch tomorrow." You gave Kamoshida a half-hearted smile, but it was hard to take your eyes off of the beaten boy in front of you. Your motherly instincts made you want to cradle him and ruin the man who did this to him.

"What a shame. Next time then. Let's go Mishima." With that Kamoshida walked past you, his arm brushed against yours as he did so. You quickly raised your hand to cover your mouth as you gagged. _God he's awful._

Slowly, you approached Mishima while he stared at the ground. He looked up at you as you stood in front of him and scanned his face. "Uhh. H-hello Senpai." He stuttered, probably due to your close proximity to him. Gently, you reached up and trailed your fingers across the bruise on his cheek. It took all of your strength to not start crying. Your heart hurt so badly for the boy in front of you.

"When you get home, you should hold a hot water bottle to your bruises or take a hot bath. The heat will help increase your blood flow and clear away the trapped blood." You said softly as you pulled away from him. "Kamoshida did this to you, didn't he?" Your question came out as more of a statement.

You could feel Ryuji and Ren stare at you as Mishima slowly nodded. "Everybody knows... The principal, our parents... They all know, and they all keep quiet about it." His voice was monotoned and quiet. He was no longer looking at you.

"This has got to be a joke..." Ryuji growled as a look of astonishment blasted onto his face. The edges of Ren's lips tilted downwards into a frown as he listened to what was being said.

Mishima just glared at Ryuji. "Don't be a pain. You don't understand what I'm going through. Shouldn't you of all people know that nothing's going to help?!" His voice was sharp and unwavering, having accepted his fate.

Ryuji visibly flinched as Mishima brought up the past. Both you and Ren turned to look at Ryuji, who was now staring at the floor. Mishima quickly walked past you after that little exchange. _Don't worry Mishima. Everything will be better soon._

"Dammit..." Ryuji hissed as he tapped the toe of his shoe against the ground. You softly reached over and put your hand on his arm in an attempt to comfort him, unsure of what to do.

"Are you gunna quit?" Ren spoke up, looking at the downtrodden boy. His voice was firm and full of resolve. There's no way that Ren would be giving up.

"No... I ain't giving up." Ryuji looked to Ren, then looked down at you, gently putting his hand over yours as he smiled. He quickly turned his attention back to Ren. "I'll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That's.. all I can do." A hint of defeat laced his voice at the end of his sentence.

"I can only assume what you could mean by that, so good luck. I'm sure you can do it." You pulled away from him as you spoke and waved at the boys, who smiled and nodded their goodbyes to you as you walked out of the school.

 _I was just part of an important cutscene._ You internally groaned. A part of you was still worried about the consequences you would have on this world.

Your trip home and to the grocery store went by quickly. There were more people in the market than there were on Sunday due to everyone having gotten out of work, but the amount of people still didn't compare to the amount of people you had to deal with in the station.

After you arrived back to your apartment, you prepped what you were going to make for dinner tomorrow. Since chicken was on sale, you planned on cooking them a meal of pan fried chicken breasts, mac and cheese, and garlic butter green beans. You wouldn't let Callie dictate what you could and couldn't eat. Mac and cheese wasn't just for children.

Once you had finished eating dinner, you managed to complete the work you had to do, which included the homework you had been given. A proud smile sat on your face as you started to prepare to drown the disgusting feelings you had today in a tub full of hot water. A mildly scalding bath was the perfect way to end your exhausting day.

Finally, you were able to crawl into bed, however a dinging sound from your phone kept you from closing your eyes. A soft sigh escaped your lips as you reached for your phone.

**Confused Bitches**

**11:09 P.M.**

**Brook:** So we're definitely meeting up tomorrow, right?

Yes. I've already prepped for dinner :) : **Y/N**

 **Kaylee:** Mmm it's been so long since I've had your cooking. What time are we going to meet up?

 **Callie:** We can't stay out too late or we'll get in trouble.

I finish tutoring at 5:30 P.M. It'll take me about 10 mins to get home and dinner will take around 45 mins to cook. : **Y/N**

How does 6:30 P.M. sound? **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** That'll work!

 **Kaylee:** Yes yes yes yes!

 **Callie:** Calm down it's just food.

 **Kaylee:** Sorry

Neat. See you guys tomorrow then. Goodnight. **:Y/N**

 **Kaylee:** Goodnight!

 **Brook:** Gnight.

Setting your phone back onto the nightstand, you nuzzled your face into the fluffy pillow beneath your head. You were ready to talk about what was going on with the others, though, you thought that you should probably keep quiet about being on a first name basis with Makoto or having Ren and Akechi's phone numbers. Callie would probably throw a fit if she knew how close you were getting with the detective.

Your mind quickly began drifting as the warmth of your sheets consumed you. A sleepy haze drowned out all of your thoughts.

**_Bonds... truly... blessing. Trust... these..., for... will help... home._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished this chapter a bit faster than I thought i would yeehaw
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated! ♡


	6. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the other 'transfer' students are finally meeting up to talk about what's been going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Timeskips are finally happening :D The story is finally going to pick up hakjdfshks. I'm lowkey just tired of writing the in between stuff that served no purpose. Unless y'all liked the in between stuff about readers day jksdhkj. I just felt like it was getting boring to read.

**April 14th. Thursday. Morning**

A knock at your front door brought you out of your thoughts as you sat in a chair at your kitchen table putting on your shoes. Once again, you heard that voice in your sleep. You were 80% sure that Yaldabaoth, aka 'Igor', has been trying to connect with you, however, you weren't sure why you haven't been able to talk to him face to face. _Does he know that I know who he really is?_ You thought to yourself as you stood to answer your door.

On the other side of the door, stood Goro Akechi, smiling down at you while innocently holding a simple oak bento box. There was a light in his eyes that you don't think you've ever seen before. He must be excited for you to make him lunch. You wondered when the last time he had a homecooked meal was.

"Good morning, L/N-san." He said while stepping inside your apartment as you moved out of the way for him. Akechi had texted you earlier this morning, saying that he would drop off the bento box this morning before you left. He was a bit earlier than he said he would be. You still had to pack up your school bag.

"Good morning, Akechi-kun. Please excuse the mess, you got here earlier than I thought you would." You confessed as you took the bento box out of his hands and walked to put it away in one of your kitchen cabinets.

Quickly, you shuffled to your school bag and started packing your things. You had left your homework and the work that teacher gave you scattered across the kitchen table last night because you didn't have the mental energy to clean it up.

Akechi chuckled. "It's quite alright. My desk at home looks worse, thanks to my work." His eyes trailed around your apartment as you got ready. "Your apartment is cute. It has a nice homey feeling." 

You looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of saying that my apartment is small?" A smile graced your lips as you spoke. A giggle bubbled at the back of your throat as a slight smirk twitched at his lips.

"You're imagining things." He quipped, causing you to roll your eyes. "Are you ready?" He asked once you had your bag packed.

"Yes sir! However, before we go, would you like a little tour of my oh-so itty bitty apartment?" You still had some time before you needed to leave, you didn't want to get to school too early. Akechi set down his briefcase on your kitchen table.

"Sure, why not?" He smiled patiently as he responded.

"Well, firstly, if you couldn't tell, this is my connected kitchen and living room area. My second favorite 'room' in my apartment." You began, doing air quotes when you said 'room', since it was sort of two rooms, but at the same time it wasn't.

Akechi lifted his left hand to his chin, pretending to look intrigued. "If you'll follow me down the hall," you said as you walked past him and towards the bathroom, "this is my third favorite room in my apartment, my bathroom." You opened the door for him to peak in. Although, he walked in completely and looked around.

"Your bathroom is more spacious than I imagined it would be." He threw you a charming smile, but the sarcasm in his voice was heavy. A small laugh escaped your lips.

"Across from the bathroom is an empty closet, well semi-empty. There's only an umbrella in here." You continued as you opened the closet door. "This is my least favorite room in my apartment."

"I see. I see." Akechi commented as he closed the door to your bathroom and looked into the closet.

"Lastly, my personal favorite room in my apartment, my bedroom." You opened the door to your room and walked in, turning on the light as you did so. Akechi followed in behind you.

"Cozy." He mumbled. You watched as his eyes slowly looked around. _Cozy he says._

You put a hand to your heart and sighed. "You hate it. You hate my apartment. I'm sorry I'm not rich." You cried, pretending to be upset. You didn't really care what he thought about your apartment, he didn't live here.

Akechi lifted a hand and covered his mouth as he giggled. "It's alright. It's not your fault you're poor." He gave you a fake sympathetic look. A playful glint brightened his russet eyes.

You scoffed in faux offense, only to laugh afterwards. "Okay rich boy. It's about time we got going." You said as you walked back towards your bedroom door. Akechi turned and walked out first. You followed behind him after you turned off your light and closed your door.

Grabbing your bag, you both left your cozy apartment and prepared yourselves for another possibly messy day.

**Lunch**

Despite how wild yesterday was for you, you were in a good mood. Even the whispering of your peers couldn't dampen your spirits.

Once the bell rang, you took your time packing your bag, letting the students flood past you. A few girls had stayed behind to flirt with Akechi, begging him to hang out with them. You turned slightly in your chair and made eye contact with Akechi for a moment, he almost looked confused, probably wondering what you were still doing here.

Finally, you stood to take your leave, the sound of a chair scraping across the ground came from behind you and Akechi's voice filled the room. "I'm sorry, but I need to work on my homework. I'll be busy with work after school so I won't have time to do my homework. I'm sure you understand." Was all he said before he headed towards the door.

When you exited, you waited not too far from the door for Akechi. You looked up at him as he walked through the door, his eyes widened ever so slightly, all you did was smile as you turned and fell into step beside him.

"Why did you wait?" He asked, looking down at you with furrowed eyebrows and a frown. A slight jolt of panic shot through you, wondering if you did something wrong. _Maybe he enjoyed the alone time he got on his walk to the library._ You didn't want to impose. 

"Oh. Should I have just gone ahead?" An innocent, yet nervous tone laced your voice as you spoke. The detective seemed to pick up on your nervousness because he just shook his head and smiled.

"I was just wondering is all." He hummed, looking away from you to look at the path you were taking to the library.

"I'm not in a rush today, so I thought I'd wait for you, since we're going to the same place anyways." You responded, looking away as well. That seemed to catch Akechi's attention.

"Oh? Did something happen? Usually you rush to get out of class." He asked, glancing down at you for a second before continuing to watch where he was going. You flinched slightly at his words, hopefully he didn't see that.

"Perhaps." You giggled as you skipped a bit, thinking about how you and Makoto were on a first name basis now. A peaceful smile graced your lips as you thought about asking her to hang out with you tomorrow. You wanted to start hanging out with her outside of school, like you had with Ren. You needed the social interaction.

Akechi sped up slightly so he wouldn't fall behind as you exited the main school building and headed towards the library. "I must admit, your good mood is contagious. May I ask what happened?" You could feel his eyes on you as you continued to skip.

"I haven't even been in Japan for a week and I'm already on a first name basis with someone!" You squealed, unable to contain your immense amount of happiness. You looked over at Akechi with a bright smile on your face. His smile twitched for a moment and an unreadable expression crossed his face for a split second. _Will we ever be on a first name basis?_

"Oh? Who's the lucky individual?" He asked as he opened the door to the library for you. You waved at the librarian as you entered, she delicately raised her hand to wave back at you.

"The Shujin Student Council President, Makoto Niijima. You know her, right? She said something about you working with her sister." Akechi raised an eyebrow slightly before nodding, also waving to the librarian.

"Yes, I do work with her sister. I'm glad you've found a friend." He gave you a practiced smile, quickly making you realize that he probably didn't actually care and you should calm down.

Sitting down at your favorite table, you both began working on your homework in a peaceful silence. You only broke it when a thought popped into your mind.

"Hey. Do you have any requests for lunch tomorrow?" You asked, turning your attention from your math homework to the celebrity sitting in front of you. His head immediately snapped up, his hair flying around from his sudden movement.

A look of delight lit up his face as he contemplated your question. "I'd like to request eggs, beef and how about snow peas?" It didn't take him long to come up with his request. He had probably thought about what he wanted before you had even asked. 

You giggled a bit and nodded. "Sure thing. I can do that." You jotted down what he wanted and thought about possible recipes. 

**Afterschool**

During your tutoring time, you were surprised to see a certain red haired girl come in once school had finished. _Kasumi... or Sumire? I should probably refer to her as Kasumi for now._

She was kind and asked a bunch of questions. She kind of gave you little sister vibes. You had always wanted a little sister, all you had was a dumb younger brother who enjoyed making your life hell. Although, you couldn't complain, you missed him and his annoying antics.

Of course, she immediately started referring to you as 'Senpai.'

Once your tutoring time at Shujin had ended, a certain brunette walked into your classroom, a small smile sitting on her lips.

"Good evening, Makoto." You smiled over at her as you packed your things, except for the stack of papers you were planning on giving back to that English teacher. Makoto eyed the papers in your arms.

"Good evening, Y/N. What do you have there?" She asked, referring to the papers. 

"Ah. One of the English teachers wanted me to 'evaluate' her students work, meaning she just wanted me to grade the work for her." You sighed, shaking your head. Makoto gave a disapproving look before she gestured for you to follow her.

"Come on. I'll take you to the staff room." She said as she turned around and began walking. You followed along behind her, working up the courage to ask her to hang out with you. You weren't sure why you felt so shy, she considered you to be a friend too, so the worst she could say was no.

"Are you going to be busy tomorrow afterschool?" You asked, walking faster so that you could be walking beside her. Makoto turned her head and looked at you as she thought.

"I have a student council meeting afterschool tomorrow, but it should be over by the time you're done with tutoring. Why?" She had a genuine look of confusion on her face. That look made your heart ache. _Because I want to be your best friend._ You responded mentally, before scolding yourself for wanting to get so close to her.

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with me outside of school tomorrow. Maybe we could go get dinner together or something." You suggested, a hopeful tone in your voice. You hoped you didn't sound too eager.

Makoto's eyes widened, before she smiled. "Sure. I'd love to. My sister mentioned a nice café the other day. I believe it was called Leblanc? Apparently they have good curry and coffee." She said in response.

"Yeah alright! Curry sounds amazing. A student actually recommended that place to me the other day. Sounds like it's pretty popular." You giggled, excitement pricking at your stomach, or maybe it was nervousness. It would just be you and Makoto tomorrow.

After you had given the teacher her students papers back, another English teacher dropped his work on you. At least this time, he gave you a grading rubric. Makoto shook her head in disappointment the entire time, probably because the teachers were making you do their work.

Once you had said your goodbyes to the student council president, you headed towards the exit. Apparently, she had a few things to take care of before she could leave. She just wanted to say hello to you before you left.

The hallways were empty for the most part, so the sound of meowing and someone whisper yelling caught your attention. Two familiar individuals rounded the corner and froze slightly when they saw you.

"Good evening boys. I didn't think you'd still be here." You smiled up at them, both awkwardly shifting in their spots in front of you. 

"Uhh hey Senp-" Ryuji was interrupted by a loud meow and a black and white cat bursting out of Ren's bag, launching himself at you. You grunted as you caught Morgana, taking a few steps back because of the force. Both boys looked absolutely shocked. "Princess...?" Ryuji mumbled.

You scrunched up your eyebrows slightly at Ryuji, then moved your attention to the kitty in your arms. "How- What-." It took you a moment to form the words, you knew he'd be here, but you had to pretend like you didn't. "Kitty, how did you get here? Did you take the train or something?" You finally asked after fishing for the words.

Morgana meowed, then turned and hissed at Ryuji before cuddling up to you.

"You just blew your own cover stupid cat!" Ryuji yelled, Ren just smiled and shook his head. You opened your mouth a few times, actually struggling to come up with something to say this time, before giving up and looking at Ren.

Ryuji's eyes widened as he looked back to you. "Uhhh we were just taking him up to the roof to feed him! That way no one can bother him. Yeah. That's it." He said unconvincingly, forcing a laugh. He was a terrible actor. 

You smiled at him and scratched Morgana behind the ears. "I see. He doesn't belong to one of you?" You asked, tilting your head slightly. Both of them shook their heads.

"No. Morgana here is a stray that lives around the school." Ren answered, finally giving you the cats name.

"Aww your name is Morgana? How cute." You cooed as you gently squeezed the fluffy friend in your arms. He squeaked then meowed in response, looking up at you.

"You know him?" Ryuji asked, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. 

"Yeah! I accidently stepped on him earlier this week, then I fed him a few times and he spent the night at my apartment. Although, that was all the way in Shibuya. I'm not sure how he got all the way here." You explained to the boys in front of you. Ryuji laughed a bit when you mentioned stepping on Morgana. Morgana just glared at the second year.

You walked up to Ren and handed him Morgana. "I won't take up any more of your time. I'm sure you're hungry." You rubbed Morgana's cheeks after setting him in Ren's arms. Ren smiled down at you as you played with the kitty.

"See ya later Senpai. Get home safe!" Ryuji said, a cheeky smile brightening his face.

"Goodnight L/N-senpai." Ren nodded at you.

"Goodnight guys. It was nice to see you all again." You waved at them as you took your leave. It was time to meet up with the other girls and talk about what was going on.

**Evening**

You stirred the pot of mac and cheese, waiting for the girls to arrive. They should be here any minute. Butterflies fluttered in your stomach as you began plating your meal. You hoped that tonight would be easy. No arguing. No name calling. Just talking about whatever the hell is happening.

A knock on your door and a ding from your phone signaled their arrival. _Perfect timing._ You had just finished putting everyone's plates down. As you walked towards the door, you mentally prepared yourself for the mess this meeting could possibly be.

"Good evening. Come in." You said as you opened the door for them. Kaylee immediately squealed as she looked at the food on the table, causing you to smile at her. Callie sighed as she looked at the food.

"Smells good Y/N. What did you make?" Brook asked, sitting at one of the empty seats at your kitchen table once she had taken off her shoes. You took a seat beside her on her left, Callie sat across from you and Kaylee sat beside you.

"Tonight's dinner is country styled pan fried chicken with a side of mac and cheese and garlic butter green beans. The most American meal I could think of." You chuckled a bit, Kaylee and Brook both laughed a bit too. Callie just stared down at the food.

Kaylee and Brook made small talk while you all ate, asking about your day and your tutoring job. Callie just picked at her food, only taking a few bites. What Callie was doing annoyed you to no end, you had put time and effort into tonight's dinner, but at least she wasn't making unnecessary comments.

Once you had all finished eating, you got down to business. Sitting back down in your seat after you put the plates into the sink, you looked between Kaylee and Brook.

"So, how much has Callie told you about this world?" You asked them, hoping she had explained at least a little.

"She told us that we were in a video game universe. That we should be careful around Akechi-kun and to not go near Shujin." Brook said, disappointing you a bit. She didn't go into detail either because she didn't feel the need to or because she didn't know the details.

"How did you know we were in the Persona 5 universe, Callie?" You looked over at her, she rolled her eyes, clearly not wanting to contribute to the conversation. 

"We ran into Sumire while walking to Ichiryu." Was all she said before spacing out again. This confirmed that Brook didn't know the details.

"Well alright." You began, looking back at Brook. "Do you guys know anything about the plot?" You felt bad having to ask so many questions, but if Callie wasn't going to inform them, then you would.

"Nope. Nothing." Kaylee responded this time.

"I know that this world is fucked up and adults are awful and there's a separate world called the Metaverse, but that's it." Brook spoke up. _Well, it's something._ Kaylee looked confused, having no idea what the Metaverse was.

"Alright. Listen close. The Metaverse is a parallel dimension where a persons desires manifest into things called shadows. Someone with extremely distorted desires will manifest a place called a palace. Soon, a group of vigilantes known as the Phantom Thieves are going to start rampaging through palaces and cause people to have a change of heart by stealing the source of their desires. It's going to stir up the public so be prepared to hear about nothing but the Phantom Thieves for the next 11 months. As for Akechi, he's, uh, one of the main villains." Brook and Kaylee both gasped in surprise.

"Excuse me what? He's an absolute sweetheart." Brook cried. Callie just cackled, already knowing who he really is.

"It's true. He's the person behind the mental shutdown cases and scary accidents that have been happening. I don't think he'll do anything to us though. He's got his hands full with the 'shutdown' cases and he'll soon have his hands full with the Phantom Thieves. You don't have to change the way you act around him, just be careful about what you say." You continue, trying to ignore the horrified expressions on their faces.

"Y/N. Don't you hang out with him though?" Kaylee whispered, worry clouding her deep brown eyes. Callie immediately snapped her head to look at you while you responded.

 _Oh boy._ "Sort of I guess. I don't hang out with him on purpose. We take the same trains is all." You explained, kind of hoping they didn't know that you spend your lunch time with him. Callie scoffed.

"Yeah right. You hang out with him during lunch too." She retorted, anger lacing through her voice. 

You groaned internally, wanting to slam your head into the kitchen table. "Once again. I don't hang out with him on purpose. He's the one who joins me for lunch. I was sitting in the library one day and he just started showing up and sitting with me." You said, causing Callie to just roll her eyes.

"Oooo I'm so special. Akechi seeks my attention and I have a job at the most important place in Persona 5 oooo." She mocked like a child. You just sighed in response as you turned your attention back to Kaylee and Brook.

"Shujin Academy is important because that's where most of the Phantom Thieves go to school. The Thieves names are Ren Amamyia, he's the leader. Morgana, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura and Haru Okumura. If you meet someone with any of those names, try not to get too close to them. They're good people, but you don't want to accidentally end up in the plot." You cringed internally as you said that last sentence, having already been a part of one important cutscene, hung out with Ren and having plans with Makoto tomorrow. Not to mention that you were getting closer with Akechi.

"That's a lot of names." Kaylee groaned, sitting back in her chair. Brook nodded in agreement.

"If they stand out in a crowd, don't interact with them." You said, laughing slightly. "This game is like an anime. All of the important characters stick out."

Brook sighed and Kaylee rubbed her hands against her face, trying to take in all of the information you just gave them.

"So... How does one enter the Metaverse?" Brook questioned.

"Remember on Sunday when I asked if any of you had the Nav app? Well that's how. An app with a red eye icon will install itself onto your phone and you can enter that way. It's kind of like a GPS." You explained looking at all of them, afraid that one of the girls will say that an app like that appeared on their phone. They just nodded in response.

"Okay, with that out of the way, does anyone have any idea's on how we could've possibly ended up here?" You asked, exhaustion taking over. Callie laughed, like you had just said something crazy.

"What makes you think we have any idea?" She said, shaking her head, continuing to laugh. Brook glared at her sister and Kaylee ignored her in favor of giving you an actual response, which you were thankful for.

"I'm not really sure. We just suddenly woke up here." Kaylee sighed, looking at you with a pleading look in her eyes. You wished you could give her the answer.

"Honestly, I have no idea what's going on either. I have two theories though. The first is called the bubble universe theory. Have you guys heard of it?" You asked, glancing between the two girls who were contributing to the conversation. Both of them just shook their heads so you looked around for things you could use to explain. You grabbed some strawberries out of the fridge and sat back down, placing them on the table.

"So, imagine that this strawberry is our universe, where Persona is nothing more than a video game." You held up a weirdly shaped strawberry. "And imagine that this strawberry is the universe we're in now, where the Persona stuff actually happens." You held up a round, plump strawberry, indicating which universe is which. They both nodded, doing their best to follow along.

You placed both strawberries back onto the table with a few other strawberries. "These strawberries," You began, pointing at the other berries, "are also possible universes. So my theory is, is that our universe and the persona universe touched." You said as you slid the strawberries that represented the two universes closer together and pressed them against each other. "I think that they merged for a moment, before breaking free and continuing to exist separately. Because they merged, we were brought here. I'm sure there were others that were brought here too. Did that make any sense?" You asked, realizing that this was all very confusing.

Kaylee and Brook were both silent for a moment before Brook spoke up. "Okay so, if our worlds merged, causing us to come here, how did we get into Ichiryu? How did you get an apartment? How come we haven't found anyone else that we know?" She asked, bringing up multiple holes in your theory.

"Those are all good questions, but I can't come up with a reason that would fit with that theory, however, my second theory answers those questions." Your expression grew grim as you looked down, thinking about how to explain. "So, in this world, the 'final' boss, is a false God. For now, I won't be saying his name, just in case he can hear us or something. There's a possibility that the false God is so strong that he was able to rip us from our world and bring us here. In order to fit us into his twisted game, he gave us what we needed in order to survive in this world. If this is what happened, I can't explain why he chose us or why he decided we were so special." You shook your head, unable to come up with anything better.

A condescending laugh came from the other side of the table, all of you looked over at Callie. "Those are terrible theories." She laughed, slapping a hand onto the table like it was the funniest thing she's ever heard. Brook groaned and Kaylee just looked back over at you.

"Oh? Then please enlighten us on how you think we got here." You quipped, giving her a look that said you knew she couldn't come up with anything better.

Callie just scoffed and continued laughing. She was really getting on your nerves. _What was the point?_

"Well, we'll most likely be here for a while. Have you guys started learning Japanese yet?" You asked them, hoping that you wouldn't have to teach them yourself.

"Yeah. Principal Victoria set us up with a teacher. It's hard." Brook groaned as she answered your question.

You nodded at her. "It's difficult at first, but I'm sure you'll all get the hang of it." You gave the two a reassuring smile. They smiled back at you.

"Alright. We should get going. Curfew and all." Brook said, standing from her spot at the table, causing the other girls to stand as well. 

"Thanks for dinner, N/N! Delicious as always!" Kaylee said as she put on her shoes, smiling brightly at you. You smiled back at her, happiness bursting in your stomach.

"Calm down, Kaylee. It wasn't that great. I've had better from McDonalds." Callie scoffed, degrading both you and Kaylee. _What is with her? Why does she feel the need to belittle everyone?_ You mentally screamed, quickly regretting inviting her.

"Oh okay." Kaylee responded, immediately going quiet. Brook didn't bother acknowledging her sisters rude behavior as she turned to you.

"Dinner was tasty, I hope that we can come over again sometime. Goodnight." She said as she pushed her sister out the door. Kaylee also mumbled a "goodnight" as she followed the others.

You immediately groaned once you closed the door. "What the fuck was that?" You elongated the word 'that' as you groaned, sitting down on the floor, thinking about what you did to deserve that kind of treatment from Callie.

A scrapping sound suddenly came from your fire escape, bringing you out of your depressing thoughts. A chill ripped its way down your spine. _Morgana. How long has he been there?_

As you opened the door for the cute black and white kitty, you spoke, "Morgana? How the hell did you get here all the way from Shujin?" Morgana just trotted over to your fridge. _Of course he's hungry._ Sighing, you walked over to your fridge and opened it for him.

"Luckily for you, I went grocery shopping again yesterday, so I have more fish." You told him as you pulled out a package of raw fish, to which he immediately meowed in joy. A smile pulled at your lips as you looked down at the grateful cat.

You set the fish down for him before you headed off to go shower. A part of you hoped that Morgana would spend the night again. Having him around was comforting.

Once you had finished, you walked out and noticed that Morgana was happily curled up on your couch, already asleep. "I suppose it's time for bed." You mumbled as you delicately lifted him into your arms and walked to your room. You could do your homework tomorrow.

Morgana quickly made himself comfortable on your stomach when you got into bed, warmth immediately spread through you. Sadly, you knew that this was probably the last night that he'd be spending with you, unless you got closer to Ren.

Sleep enveloped you slowly. Your consciousness faded into a blissful haze. You were excited for tomorrow.


	7. Conversations over Coffee and Curry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally get to spend time with Makoto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this chapter really got away from me lmao. It got emotional real fast ahkjdhskjfh. So much angst. Oops.
> 
> Another long chapter gamers.

**April 15th. Friday. Morning.**

Morgana bounced from one front paw to the other, like he was dancing as you set down the raw salmon steak in front of him, clearly excited for his first meal of the day. He ate slowly, as if savoring the taste. 

You giggled as you looked down at the cat while making your own breakfast and starting on yours and Akechi's lunch. "Is it tasty?" You asked him, to which he gave a muffled meow in response, looking up at you for only a moment before focusing on his food once more.

Today for lunch, you planned on making Mongolian Beef as the main course with a side of boiled snow peas and a plain rolled omelet. With rice of course. You wanted to impress the Ace Detective Prince. He had already expressed his liking for your cooking, but this was his first full meal from you. You didn't want to disappoint! You even cut up some strawberries and added a dollop of whipped cream for dessert.

Morgana meowed at you, catching your attention as you placed the food into the bento boxes. You turned and looked down at him. He just stared at you with those big, piercing blue eyes of his. Animals were difficult to read. "What?" You asked him as you went back to what you were doing. _Does he want attention or something?_

He meowed at you again, pushing himself onto his hind legs and leaning against your calf. "What do you want cutie? Do you want some beef? Or are you just curious about what I'm doing?" Morgana just tilted his head, his pupils dilated. You took a small piece of beef and held it close to him, he just sniffed it and continued to look at you. Fear coursed through you for a moment as you thought back to last night. _Had he heard us talking? Could he understand English?_

You looked away from him and slipped the meat into your mouth. "I'm making my friend lunch today. I want to make a good first impression." You giggled as you closed your box, now focusing on Akechi's lunch. Morgana meowed again, curiosity lighting up his eyes. "Curious one aren't you?" You weren't sure what he really wanted, so you just continued to explain what you were doing. "His name is Goro Akechi. Apparently, he's famous. Have you heard of him? The Ace Detective Prince or something like that." You smiled down at the kitty, who seemed satisfied with what you just told him. At least you thought he was since he lowered himself and sat back down.

Once you had finished packing the lunches and putting away the leftovers, Morgana walked to your fire escape door. He looked over at you expectantly as he waited for you to open it. "If you plan on going back to Shujin, please be careful. I can't imagine how a cat like you manages to survive the subway rides." Morgana huffed at you as he watched you walk over to him, obviously upset that you called him a cat. "Well, stay safe. You're welcome to stop by any time." You said as you opened the sliding glass door for him, he quickly slithered through the opening and bounced down the fire escape steps. You hoped that he would make it to Shujin in time to crawl his way into Ren's desk.

You gently stuffed the lunch boxes into your bag as you got prepared to leave. A pinging sound echoed through your quiet kitchen as your phone received a text from your knight in shining armor, saying that he was outside your apartment complex. Excitement gripped your nerves as you responded with a simple, "on my way down :)". This was only his second time texting you, and this was the second time that you had gotten butterflies in your stomach from seeing his name pop up on your phone.

After descending the steps leading to the lobby, you gracefully slid through the front door, Akechi coming into your view. The detective quickly made eye contact with you, a genuine smile lighting up his face. His teeth were showing and his eyes were squinting slightly. Despite the joy you got from seeing his happy, child-like face, you couldn't help but feel a slight pang of pain in your heart. The laugh lines that surround his mouth were faint, like he rarely ever actually smiles.

Akechi's smile faltered almost immediately as he looked at you while you walked down the steps of your apartment complex, the excited look dying from his eyes. You scrunched up your eyebrows for a moment as you came to a stop in front of him. You opened your mouth, about to ask him what was wrong, when you realized why he probably did that.

Gently, you pat your school bag and smiled. "I'm carrying your lunch. I wasn't sure if it'd fit in your briefcase and if it did, I didn't want it getting smooshed to the side of the box. I put a lot of effort into making your lunch." Akechi's eyes widened before he smiled down at you, that light coming back to his eyes.

"Thank you! I must admit, I'm excited to try what you've made. It's been a while since I've had a homecooked meal." He admitted sheepishly, an awkward smile twitching at his lips as you both began heading towards the station.

That made you frown. He just confirmed your suspicion. "Really?" You began. "When was the last time someone cooked for you? Or the last time you cooked for yourself?" You didn't mean to pry, but your heart cried for the bastard child.

He gave you a wary smile before looking away. "Besides eating at restaurants, the last person to cook me a meal was my last foster mother. However, I haven't seen her in a few years. I don't cook for myself. Mostly because I don't have the time. Also..." He trailed off, probably because of the surprised look on your face. _He's opening up._ "I never learned how to cook. I can cook basic, simple meals, but complicated meals like what you've been making are beyond my capabilities." He messed with his tie a bit, probably feeling uncomfortable because of your staring.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. Your motherly instincts kicked in again. An overwhelming urge to hold him and tell him that everything was okay coursed through you, however, you knew you'd never be able to act on those feelings. Mostly because affection made him uncomfortable. Maybe someday, if you managed to push through the complicated maze that was his heart, he'd let you hug him for just a second.

"Well," You began, "I could always teach you how to cook. If you couldn't tell, it's my favorite hobby." You offered, smiling up at him, trying to read his expression.

"Why would I need to learn how to cook when I've got you around?" He joked, deflecting your offer. Your eyes were rolling before you could stop them.

"Oh haha. As much as I'd love to cook for you for the rest of our lives, I'm only going to be here for a year before I have to go home to California. Who knows if we'll ever see each other again after that." You quipped, slightly annoyed that he was dancing around what you had said. Though, you weren't sure if you'd go home after this was all over. If you somehow managed to become friends with him, you might just cook for him for the rest of his life. Depending on Ren's choices, Akechi might only have 8 months left to live.

Akechi chuckled, "Well, I suppose I'll just have to enjoy your cooking while I can." _Welp. I tried._ He just rejected your offer to teach him how to cook, but he also said that he would be keeping you around. He was a complicated man. _Maybe he's just using me._

As you walked with the detective, your mind strayed to depressing thoughts. _He didn't outright reject my offer. Yesterday, he didn't tell those girls 'no' when they asked him to hang out with them. All he did was make an excuse. Is his need to please so great that he can't tell someone 'no'?_

"...-san?" His worried voice pulled you out of your thoughts. You snapped your head towards him, guilt sinking in as you realize that you had just been ignoring him.

"I'm so sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you say?" You asked, chuckling slightly. Your explanation only made his lips tilt downwards.

"Is everything alright?" His question shocked you a bit.

"Oh yeah I'm fine. Just thinking about what I'm going to be doing later today." You smiled up at him. He raised an eyebrow, probably not believing you. The Ace Detective Prince stayed silent and continued to look at you, slowly confirming that he didn't believe you.

A sigh made its way through your lips and you just looked away from him, starting to feel uncomfortable and unable to think of a way to explain to him what you had been thinking. Akechi finally looked away from you as you entered the subway station. He didn't bring up the topic again. 

When you reached school, Callie acted just as flirtatious as she had been in the past, but Brook and Kaylee kept their distance. Which you thought was understandable, you just hoped that Akechi wouldn't question their decision to stay away. 

**Lunch**

You packed your stuff as the bell rang, letting the students flood past you so you wouldn't get swept away by the crowd. Standing from your seat without looking back, you exited the classroom and waited a few feet away from the door for Akechi.

The high school celebrity looked surprised once again as he spotted you. A frown twitched at his lips. "Is this going to become a regular thing?" He asked as you started walking beside him.

Anxiety clawed at your skin as you looked over at him, thinking that he really did enjoy his alone time and that he was just too nice to say otherwise. "I'm sorry. Should I have gone ahead? You wait for me in the mornings, so I thought I'd start waiting for you during lunch..." You trailed off, unable to continue due to the confusing look on his face. When he didn't answer you immediately, you said what had been bugging you. "You can tell me if I'm bothering you, you know. I respect your space. If you'd rather walk to the library alone then just say so and I won't wait for you any more." You rambled a bit, voice shaking a little, but it had to be said. You didn't want to annoy him with your presence.

His eyes widened and his mouth opened a bit in shock. "I- That's not what I meant. If I'm being honest, you're one of the few people who don't bother me. However, from what I've concluded based on the past few days, you'd rather get to the library quickly so you won't have to deal with the student body, correct? It's just surprising to me that you'd wait for me, knowing that you'd have to deal with our peers talking about us."

Now it was your turn to be shocked. You quickly looked away from him, unable to continue looking at him thanks to him just casually admitting that he was comfortable being around you. "You're not wrong, but I don't mind as much any more. Before, their words got to me easily since I was on my own, however, now I have friends and things to look forward to, so they don't bother me as much." You admitted as Akechi opened the door that led outside for you.

His silence after your admission was unnerving. You hesitantly looked over at him. Akechi's eyes were glued to the path that led to the library, as if he wasn't able to look at you. His adams apple bobbed slightly, like he wanted to say something, but he just stayed quiet. _I consider you a friend, even though we haven't even known each other for a week._

Upon reaching your favorite table, you sat and smiled over at the detective who was practically glowing with excitement. "Well?" He asked, drumming his fingers against the table impatiently.

You pulled the boxes from your bag and slid his over to him. It was neatly wrapped in a clean white cloth that held his chopsticks in place, as well as kept the box together. With no hesitation, he untied the cloth and opened his lunch box. He looked like a child in a candy store. 

"Todays lunch is Mongolian beef, with a side of boiled snow peas and a rolled omelet with rice. For dessert, I cut up some strawberries and there's a small container filled with whipped cream that you can dip them in." You explained as you opened your box as well, the food was still sitting perfectly in their places. 

Akechi took out his phone and snapped a picture of the perfection before him. You giggled a bit as you waited for him to take his first bite, wanting to see his reaction.

Slowly, he lifted a piece of beef and a bit of rice to his lips, gently biting down on them. The Prince closed his eyes and chewed thoroughly before swallowing. "Slightly sweet, slightly salty. The hint of garlic and ginger. The perfect amount of green onions. This dish is truly wonderful, L/N-san. You've outdone yourself!" His praise had you blushing, heart racing. A bright smile lit up your face. _YES! He likes it!_ You squealed to yourself as you took a bite of your own, ready to devour the meal you had created.

Akechi was quick to finish his lunch, looking satisfied as he sat back in his chair and waited for you to finish eating before he started talking again.

"Now I definitely can't let you do this for free." He started once you began wiping your face and tying up your lunch box. "Have you thought about what you'd want in return?" 

"Not at all." You confessed, sitting back in your chair, smiling over at the man sitting across from you. Akechi sighed and shook his head. The way his soft hair swayed was hypnotizing, the light coming from the windows made it look like honey.

"Is there really nothing you want?" He asked, a wary look crossing his face.

"I suppose that there will be things that I want eventually, but for now, I can't think of anything." You spoke before a thought popped into your head. Your grin turned into a sickly sweet smile and you leaned forwards and rested your elbows on the table, letting your chin sit on top of your folded hands. Akechi raised an eyebrow and sat forwards as well, waiting for you to tell him what you just thought of.

"Let me teach you how to cook. Store bought meals and eating out all the time can't be healthy for you. I'll give you all of my recipes too so that you'll have something to remember me by when I leave." He definitely wasn't happy with your response because he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his hands, sighing. "It won't be that bad I promise. Just once. I'm only worried about your health." You explained a bit, to which he lifted his head again, a complicated look on his face.

"Would you rather take me to a super fancy restaurant where everything is more expensive than my rent?" You asked jokingly. A smile ghosted his face as he sighed.

"I suppose one cooking lesson couldn't hurt. However, I don't see how that's a reward for your brilliant work." A warm heat sprung to your cheeks. He was too good at complimenting.

"What do you mean? Spending time with you is reward enough." It was his turn to blush. You quickly slapped a hand over your mouth as you realized what you just said. "Sorry. That was extremely cheesy, but like I said a few days ago, I enjoy hanging out with you."

Akechi chuckled and sat back in his chair. "Is that really all it takes to please you?" He asked, still laughing.

You scoffed and rolled your eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not that easy detective. However, I do appreciate the little things." You smiled over at him. He didn't seem fully satisfied with what you had chosen for your 'reward', but he didn't complain about it.

"Alright, fine. Your apartment?" He questioned.

"I was thinking we should do it at your apartment so you could get used to cooking in your own home. If you're not comfortable with that though, we could do it at my place." Akechi scrunched up his eyebrows a bit as he thought about what he wanted to do.

"We could do it at my apartment. I suppose it's only fair since I know where you live." He nodded as he confirmed the place. "I'll text you my address and let you know when I get a day off or have some free time."

"Great! It's hard to stalk you when I don't know where you live." You joked, doing your best to not laugh through your response. Akechi chuckled and shook his head at your terrible attempt at a joke.

Thanks to that teacher for giving you a grading rubric, you were able to speed through the papers you had to grade. You managed to finish 3/4ths of the stack before the bell rang. You gave yourself a mini congratulatory pat on the back as you packed up your stuff, proud of yourself for getting through so many papers in such a short amount of time, Akechi gave you a confused look as you did so. All you did was smile at him as you stood from your seat.

"May I ask when the next time you'll make me lunch will be?" Akechi's velvety voice spoke up from behind you as you descended the stair case and headed towards the exit of the library. A hopeful tone colored his voice.

You laughed a bit. "When would you like me to make you lunch again? Tomorrow?" Glancing at him from the corner of your eyes, you noticed his expression change from curious to one of pure delight. That smile from this morning made its way onto his beautiful face again.

"Really?" He was now walking close enough to you that his right arm was brushing against your left, that smile never leaving his face. You lifted a hand and delicately hovered it over your mouth as you giggled.

"Of course. Do you have any requests?" Your eyes momentarily met his as he opened the door that led outside for you.

"Surprise me." Was all he said, a content expression resting on his face as you walked to class. 

**Afterschool**

**Warning: Kamoshida being creepy again. Panic attack stuff.**

As you walked up the steps that led into Shujin, a familiar tall black haired pervert appeared in your view. He smirked down at you as you were forced to approach him, thanks to him standing in the entrance.

"Good afternoon, L/N. Glad to see you made it here alright." Kamoshida spoke. Your insides twisted and you instinctively clutched your phone from its place in your right peacoat pocket. Looking at him was enough to give you tunnel vision.

"G-good afternoon, sir. The subways are surprisingly empty this time of day, so it's not that bad." You said, trying to keep your voice steady as you entered the school with Kamoshida following behind you. Your heart hammered in your chest, feeling like you were moments away from being pounced on.

"From what I've heard, there have been more subway accidents recently, I wouldn't want you getting caught up in one of those. If you're interested, I could pick you up from Ichiryu and drive you here. Much safer that way." _I would literally grab the wheel and steer us into on coming traffic if I had to ride in a car with you._ You quipped to yourself. You knew what he was up to. He wanted to get you alone and do to you whatever he did with Ann. Or tried to do with Ann. 

"I'll have to think about it. I enjoy the subway rides to Shujin, they're peaceful, in a way." A wary, shaky smile slid its way onto your cheeks as you did your best to look over at him. A predatory grin sat on his face as you began walking up the steps towards your classroom.

"Well, let me know your answer soon. I have to head back to the P.E. Faculty office. Don't hesitate to stop by if you need anything." He rested his hand on your shoulder and gently rubbed your upper arm as you came to a stop in front of your classroom.

"O-of course. Thank you." You bowed robotically, trying to ignore your rapidly increasing breath rate. With that, Kamoshida turned and walked away from you.

Once you walked into the classroom, the stares of your peers instantly became overwhelming. You wondered if they heard that conversation. As you walked around, you heard a few of them mention Kamoshida, so they had definitely heard. _Fuck._

You quickly excused yourself to the bathroom and locked yourself in one of the stalls. You did your best to not rip out your hair as you placed your face in your hands, elbows resting against your knees. Your breathing was becoming difficult to control, body beginning to tremble, a chill sneaking its way down your spine, so you did the only thing you could think of.

**Goro Akechi**

**4:10 P.M.**

Sorry for texting you during class, but fuck. That volleyball coach Kamoshida has me on the verge of a panic attack.

I locked myself in the bathroom in an attempt to calm myself down. I felt like if I didn't vent I'd have a full breakdown. You can ignore this.

Sorry again. : **Y/N**

**Akechi:** Give me a second.

To your surprise, he messaged you back immediately. Your mind filled with confusion as you waited for whatever he was going to do, momentarily distracting your mind from the oncoming panic. The sudden vibrating of your phone made you jump. He was calling you.

"H-hey." You breathed, voice shaking just as hard as your body was as you answered. You could hear Akechi's sharp inhale at the panicked sound of your voice.

"Deep breaths. In through your nose and out through your mouth." His voice was soft and smooth as he consoled you. The gentleness of his tone made your throat close up and your eyes water. "Are you somewhere safe?" He asked, your mind was too clouded with fear to tell if he was genuinely concerned about you.

"I-" Your voice immediately broke as you began to speak, a sob pushed its way out of your mouth.

"Take your time." The sound of his voice was comforting. You couldn't be more grateful to him in this moment.

Taking a slow, albeit shaky, deep breath, you began speaking again. "I locked myself in one of the stalls in the upstairs girls bathroom. I don't know if that counts as safe." You whispered, trying not to breakdown again. You don't think you've ever been so scared of someone in your life.

"I need you to leave the stall and lock the door to the bathroom, okay?" He instructed, his tone was steady and unwavering.

You responded with a breathy, "Okay," and left the stall you were in. You struggled to reach the door due to how hard your legs were shaking, feeling like they might give out at any moment. Once you turned the lock, you pressed your back against the door and slid down it. "Done." You mumbled.

"Good. Now, I know this may be difficult, but please, tell me what happened." His detective mode activated as he spoke. You could hear the change in his voice. It went from gentle to stern in a matter of seconds. The sound of Akechi writing something down caught your attention, he was taking notes.

"That pervert has had his eyes on me since I first came to Shujin on Monday. I-it's all my fault to be honest. Some boy called Kamoshida a pervert and he threatened to expel the kid, so I did the only thing I could think of to distract him and kind of flirted with him. On-" Your voice broke again, but Akechi was patient with you, mumbling a soft, "You're okay," as you tried to get your voice back. "On Wednesday, I got to Shujin while the volleyball rally was still going on, and Kamoshida saw me walk into the gymnasium. The way he was looking at me... It felt like he was a predator and I was his prey."

You could hear Akechi suddenly drag the pen he was using across the paper, like he had just flinched, or jumped in surprise. 

"He put his hand on my back and led me to a spot in the bleachers where we could w-watch the game. He tried to pull me into his lap, but I managed to keep off of him. When I tried to move away from him, he just moved closer and pressed his leg against mine. Today he ambushed me in front of the school and walked me to my classroom. He tried to convince me to let him drive me to Shujin everyday because of the subway accidents. When he was leaving, he rubbed my arm and told me to stop by the P.E. faculty office if I needed anything." Your breathing had quickened again, but Akechi's calm and honey laced voice enveloped your mind before it could get out of control.

"It's alright. You're okay now. Thank you for telling me. Keep taking deep breaths." You did as he instructed, doing your best to calm down. "I'm going to do my best to find out more, and bring him to justice." Despite his determined tone, the way he spoke made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, goosebumps rippled up your arms and your heart stopped. You were sure you knew what he meant.

_Oh fuck. Akechi wasn't supposed to know about Kamoshida, right? He's not supposed to be doing anything to stop him._

"L/N-san?" His voice was quiet this time, but it snapped you out of your thoughts. You had taken too long to respond to him.

"Sorry..." You weren't sure if he was ready to hear you call him a friend. Worry coursed through your veins, thinking that you might accidentally push away the only friendly face at Ichiryu Academy if you called him a friend too early. "Thank you Akechi-kun. I really appreciate it." You whispered into the phone as you pulled up your knees and rested your forehead against them as you curled into yourself. _Have I fucked up?_

"Of course. How are you feeling? Good enough to go back to class? The bell will be ringing soon." You didn't want to stop talking to him just yet, but you knew you couldn't stay. He had to excuse himself from class in order to talk to you, so people would get suspicious if he stayed away for any longer.

Taking a deep breath, you lifted your head from your knees and stood. "Yeah. I'm okay now. Thanks again Akechi-kun. I really owe you one." You chuckled slightly, slowly realizing how vulnerable you had just been with him. You hoped he didn't think you were weak or something.

"Nonsense. I'm glad you came to me. I'll talk to you later?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later. Bye." You whispered, unlocking the door and stepping over to the mirror to make sure you didn't look like too much of a mess.

And with that, you headed back to class, a light feeling dancing its way around your heart.

**Warning end**

Once again, after the bell had rung that dismissed the students from school, Kasumi showed up to get some help from you. Her bold and confident personality really lifted your spirits. She was eager to learn and her kindness did wonders on your broken emotions. You thanked the Gods for blessing you with her presence today. 

You had begun to worry that you wouldn't have the energy to hang out with Makoto because of what had happened.

A few minutes before your tutoring time came to an end, a certain student council president stepped into your classroom and took a seat at your desk as she waited for you to finish up with a student. You looked over at her and smiled, earning yourself a smile back, before you turned your attention back to the person you were helping.

It didn't take long before you were finished and cleaning off the chalkboard you used. Once you were done, you grabbed your bag and slung it over your shoulder, which prompted Makoto to stand up.

"Are you ready?" She asked, a grin lighting up her face, but something seemed so off. She looked like she would break at any moment. You didn't call her out on it. You felt the same way. Maybe all you both needed was a girls night out.

"Yes! I'm so excited for curry!" You giggled, returning her grin with one of your own as you both tried to keep your composures. She laughed as well as you exited the classroom. _Am I forgetting something?_

You both made idle chitchat as you made your ways to the station. It would take you around 20 minutes by train to reach Yongen-Jaya.

As you entered the station, a random female students voice rang in your ears. "Did you see what happened with that Suzui girl? Apparently, she jumped because of Mr. Kamoshida."

You froze and your eyes landed on Makoto, who had froze a few steps ahead of you. Her back was facing towards you, her hair obstructing your view of her face. _I knew I was forgetting something._

Makoto's shoulders seemed to tremble and she balled her hands into fists. You couldn't tell if she was angry or on the verge of tears. "Do you want to talk about it?" Your voice sounded so far away, like you weren't the one who spoke. 

She turned towards you, the intensity in her eyes almost made you flinch. She was absolutely furious. "Today a girl attempted to commit suicide because of that man. Nearly everyone in the school watched her jump. He doesn't care what he did to her. No one cares enough to do anything to stop Kamoshida." Her voice was cold and laced with venom, though that iciness wasn't directed at you, but to the man in question.

Before you could respond, her shoulders drooped and her eyes dropped from yours. "People complain about me not doing anything. They don't realize that I have no power whatsoever. I can't do anything about this, no matter how badly I want to." Makoto looked so defeated. _So this is how she really feels about the whole situation._ It felt like your heart was being ripped from your chest as you watched her give into what people have been saying about her. "I'm useless..."

You were both absolute messes. All you could think of doing was to hug her, which you did. You wrapped one arm around her neck and the other around her upper back. She immediately tensed, having not expected you to react in such a way.

"I don't think you're useless. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would've happened to me on Wednesday. The others might not be able to see it, but I can tell that you're trying. For example, on Monday, when we ran into Kamoshida and Kobayakawa in the hallways, you tried to stand in front of me to protect me from his sinful gaze. The fact that you wanted to help, even though we had just met, means so much. I know it's frustrating that you can't do anything to stop him, but being there for someone when they need you is the best thing you can do in this situation." Now you were getting emotional, you could feel the tears sitting on the corners of your eyes.

Makoto slowly brought her arms up and hugged you back. A good number of the people in the station were staring at the two of you as you clung to each other, confused as to why two random girls were having a mini breakdown in public.

"Thank you." Makoto whispered, squeezing you tightly before she pulled away. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, seeming to have calmed down. "Shall we go get dinner?" She asked, opening her eyes, a much more relaxed look on her face. 

You smiled back at her. "Yes please!" You giggled, the tension that you didn't realize was there lifted for the most part, but some of it remained. You couldn't tell Makoto what happened today with Kamoshida after that. You'd tell her some other time.

On your train rides to Leblanc, Makoto told you about Sae. How she was a Prosecutor and how hard she worked to get her position. How she worked along side the Ace Detective Prince in the psychotic breakdown cases. She even offers to introduce you to her when she gets a chance, which you immediately say yes to. Sae's hard work and determination made her a big inspiration to you. She holds a job in a male dominated work force and she tries so hard to provide for Makoto. You couldn't pass up that opportunity.

The bell jingled as you opened the door to the hole in the wall café. 

"Welcome." Sojiro said as he turned his gaze towards you two, eyes scanning your uniforms. You both sat across from each other at the booth closest to the door. 

"Amamiya-kun was right. This place definitely has a cozy vibe." You said softly as you looked over at the menu above the bar. Makoto giggled quietly as she looked over as well.

"What can I get you ladies?" Sojiro asked as he came up to your table to take your orders.

"I'll take a cup of the house blend as well as a plate of your spicy pork curry please." You smiled up at him, hoping he didn't think that you two would cause a ruckus and 'scare away his customers.'

"I'd like a house blend too please, along with a plate of mild vegetable curry." Makoto recited her order, also giving the man a small smile.

"Coming right up." He nodded to you both and walked back behind the counter to get your meals.

Leblanc smelled amazing. Coffee and curry was truly a weird combination to you, but it just made sense. You looked over at Makoto, who had her eyes closed and was resting her chin against her hands which were folded in front of her. She looked so calm.

In no time at all, Sojiro was setting your orders in front of you. "Thank you!" Both you and Makoto spoke at the same time, causing the old man to chuckle. 

"Enjoy." He said as he walked back to his spot to watch the TV.

With no hesitation, you scooped a spoonful of curry into your mouth. It was sweet with the perfect amount of spiciness. It only made your mouth tingle a bit. The pork melted in your mouth and the vegetables were ever so slightly firm, not total mush.

The sound of Makoto giggling brought you out of your curry filled thoughts. "I can only assume that look on your face means that it's good." She covered her mouth as she laughed again, causing you to blush. Food was your kryptonite.

"Amazing." You mumbled after you swallowed, only to take another mouthful soon after.

The two of you ate in a warm silence, until an interview with Akechi began playing on the TV. The interviewer asked Akechi about the psychotic breakdown cases and he offered practiced responses in return.

"It must be exhausting being asked the same questions over and over again." Makoto remarked as she turned her attention to the celebrity on the TV.

"Is he interviewed often?" You asked Makoto. She looked over at you with a surprised look before shaking her head.

"It's easy to forget that you aren't from Japan. Yes, Akechi-kun is quite popular. In the past year, he must've been on at least 100 news channels and talk shows." Now it was your turn to be surprised. You never thought about how famous he truly was. Persona 5 only gave you small glimpses into his life.

"Oh wow." You mumbled as you stared into your coffee for a moment. "I knew he was famous, but I didn't think that he was, you know, famous famous." A nervous chuckle escaped your lips as it sunk in just how well known he was.

"He really rose to fame last year when he began solving the psychotic breakdown cases." You nodded at her words. His fame never bothered you, but now you were beginning to feel nervous at the thought of being around him. However, you knew that you couldn't act nervous around him or he'd probably drop you. You didn't want to make him feel weird. He probably rarely got the chance to be around people who weren't drooling over him or trying to please him. "Are you alright? You're starting to look nervous." Makoto laughed, though you could hear the concern in her voice.

"Yup." You squeaked. "It's now sinking in just how famous the person I've been hanging out with at school is. Goodness." You laughed and rubbed your temples.

"Oh?" Makoto pried, leaning forward in her seat, waiting for you to explain. _Who knew Makoto Niijima liked gossip?_

"Akechi apparently lives in Shibuya too so he waits for me by my apartment complex so we can go to school together. He also started eating lunch with me in the library. Somehow I even started making him lunch." You groaned as you confessed how close you were getting to the celebrity. Your indecisiveness started to eat away at you. You didn't want to get too close, but at the same time, you felt like you were already in over your head, that there was no turning back now and a part of you was okay with that.

"And here I was, thinking that he was just a classmate to you." She teased, causing you to roll your eyes, a smile that you attempted to hide pulled at your lips.

"I don't know. I do consider him a friend, but he's kind of a closed off and private person. I feel like if I started referring to him as a friend, he'll freak out or something. I'm worried that he'll think I'm being too clingy or trying to get something from him." You explained, to which she just shook her head.

"If I'm being honest, I think someone like Akechi-kun would be thrilled or relieved to hear you call him a friend. You said he started hanging out with you during lunch, right? Who did he hang out with before you?" She asked.

You furrowed your eyebrows slightly. "I'm not sure. I don't think he hung out with anyone before he started spending his lunchtime with me."

"Exactly. He chose to start spending his time with you, so he must see you as more than just a classmate. Maybe you should try dropping the honorific when you say his name and see how he reacts." Makoto suggested.

You nodded slowly. "Yeah. Alright I can try that." You smiled over at her and let the silence drift between the two of you once more.

Once you had both finished your meals, you began preparing to leave.

"Breaking news. Another psychotic breakdown has just occurred. This time, a limousine driver drove into oncoming traffic while suffering from a breakdown while chauffeuring an important member of congress to the judicial district. At this current time, the severity of the accident is unknown."

You froze, staring at the TV. Makoto gasped from beside you and Sojiro groaned and rubbed his face. _Akechi._

You felt your blood run cold as the newscaster continued to speak about the accident, but you couldn't make out what he was saying. A loud buzzing sound filled your ears as your mind wandered over to Akechi's wellbeing. You knew full well that he could've just killed someone, and yet, you found yourself wanting to soothe him.

A warm hand rested on your shoulder, causing you to turn to the person it was attached to. Makoto gave you a look filled with worry and concern before she pulled away from you and headed towards the door.

"Get home safe you two." Sojiro spoke up as Makoto opened the door. You both gave him a half hearted smile as you nodded to him and left.

Your walk to the station was silent, both too afraid to speak. The train ride to Shibuya was also silent, despite the fact that there were a ton of people on the train. Nobody wanted to say anything, fearful that if they did, the subway would derail.

As you stepped off the train, you looked over to the girl walking beside you. She had one more train to take before she would be home. Makoto gave you a wary smile, knowing what you were thinking.

You both came to a stop once you reached the top of the stairs. "Thanks for hanging out with me today. I had fun, despite everything that happened." You mumbled, exhaustion gripping your muscles as you did your best to smile at her.

"Thanks for inviting me. It's not often that I get to spend time with someone like this. We should do this again sometime." Makoto responded, looking tired as well.

You bid her a safe train ride home and said goodnight, before you turned and made your way back to your apartment. You thought the days would get easier as time went on, but so far, they've all been overwhelming in their own special ways.

As you entered the inviting confines of your quaint apartment, you pulled out your phone. Mindlessly typing out a message before you could even think about it.

**Goro Akechi**

**8:09 P.M.**

Hey. Are you alright? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Yes? Why wouldn't I be?

Just wanted to make sure. I was watching the news when that psychotic breakdown happened.

I know you often have to work afterschool. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't

somehow end up in the accident. : **Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Oh. I see. I'm alright. I got home before it happened, so no worries. How are you though? Feeling better?

I'm glad :) Also yes sort of. That breakdown was a bit of a shock, but other than that, I feel a lot better. Thank you for asking. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Oh good! I must confess, you had me worried there for a bit.

Honestly, same. It's been a while since I've had a panic attack like that. I'm normally better at keeping myself composed than that.

I've never been so scared of a person before. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** That's completely understandable. From what I've already gathered, he's an incredibly abusive man. 

Have you seen the volleyball players? All of them have bruises and cuts. It's heartbreaking. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** It truly is. Don't worry. I'll work my hardest to make sure he gets the punishment he deserves. For you and the others who've endured his torment.

I know you will <3 Alright, I've gotta start prepping for our lunches tomorrow. Goodnight! **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Goodnight, L/N-san. Sweet dreams.

Once again, you were shocked that he responded immediately. Your heart fluttered with every quick response he sent. However, you doubted that he was alright. You'd make sure to pay closer attention to him tomorrow.

For now, you'd get started on tomorrows lunch as well as start your homework and finish grading the rest of those papers. You couldn't afford to get behind.

By the time 11 P.M. rolled around, you were collapsing into your favorite spot in your entire apartment, your bed. It was far more comfortable than your bed at home. The sheets seemed to entwine themselves around you as your consciousness drifted. A familiar hazy fog clouded your mind as darkness consumed you.

_**I... sense it. We will... soon, child... the... Your place... our world, will... be... in stone.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it obvious that i love kasumi/sumire? Good girl. Top notch. Deserves head pats.


	8. More Friends, More Ramen, and More Guns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Akechi definitely isn't okay.
> 
> Ren and Ryuji seem to think that you need something to protect yourself with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gasp! 2 days in 1 chapter? It's more likely than you think ;) Super long chapter ahdsfjhaslkdjfh
> 
> Also i'm so glad you guys are excited about what's possibly going to happen with Kamoshida! I was so worried that it would seem like too much or i'm pushing the story in an unrealistic direction ;;
> 
> I feel like I should also say this, I'm taking some of the dialog from the game. So far it's only been during important cutscenes. Just a disclaimer just in case someone thinks i'm creating my own dialog for those important parts hasdkjhsdkjjdf

**April 16th. Saturday. Morning.**

The blaring of your alarm made you want to cry. You felt like you hadn't gotten any sleep. Something kept tugging at the back of your mind, keeping you on the verge of sleep the entire night. The fact that you could hear Yaldaboath talking to you only made things worse.

This time, you had heard him more clearly. You remembered he said something about something happening soon and your place in this world. _What did he mean?_

Yesterdays event came rushing back to your mind. _I'm actually going to have to start stalking Akechi, aren't I?_ You groaned internally and rubbed your face. You had told him about Kamoshida. He was going to get involved. You couldn't let him do anything too drastic. Arresting Kamoshida would be one thing, the Phantom Thieves would still be able to change his heart and force him to confess, but causing him to have a mental shutdown would ruin everything. _So much for treading carefully._ You'd have to do this your own way.

You were at least happy with the progress you made with Makoto yesterday. It was really beginning to feel like you're friends. You were glad that you got to tell her how much you appreciated what she did for you. Of course that wouldn't cure her of her insecurity and feeling like she needs to be everyone's lap dog, but at least she knew she had someone on her side now.

Mechanically, you went through your morning routine. You put on a bit of makeup, cooked yourself breakfast and made lunch for you and Akechi. Todays lunch consisted of sweet and sour chicken, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, a rolled omelet and rice. It didn't take you long to carefully put together the lunches.

After receiving a text from Akechi, letting you know he was outside, you packed your bag and slipped on your shoes. _Remember Y/N. Drop the honorific today. Pay close attention to him. He is definitely not 'alright.'_ You were curious to see how he would react to you just calling him by his last name. It might not seem like much to you, but to him, you knew it would probably be a huge leap.

As you slipped through the door of your apartment complex, you immediately made eye contact with him. The smile that sat on his lips looked forced and you could see the bags under his eyes. No amount of concealer would be able to hide them. He definitely didn't get any sleep last night.

"Good morning, Akechi." You said softly as you got closer to him, preparing yourself for any possible reaction. His eyes widened and his mouth opened a bit, then he blinked, and his look of shock had disappeared just as quick as it came. That forced smile of his from earlier softened a bit.

"Good morning, L/N. How did you sleep?" _He dropped it too._ You couldn't ignore the excitement that fluttered around your stomach. A slight heat made its way to your cheeks. _One step at a time! Thank you Makoto for convincing me to do this._

"To be honest, not all that great. You?" You sighed, letting your shoulders droop and your back hunch a bit. It was hard to keep your posture perfect all the time, especially with how tired you felt today.

"I slept alright. I wish I could've gotten more than 6 hours of sleep though. 8 hours is the golden number for me." He lied, giving you a sympathetic look as you both began heading towards the station. 

You sighed internally. _Patience._ "8 hours is definitely the magic number." You laughed a bit. "Could we stop by that underground convenience store on the way to school? I need to get myself an energy drink or something." You groaned the last part. You wondered if this world would have monster energy drinks. Your favorite was the mango loco flavor.

"Of course. I was about to suggest that actually." Akechi chuckled as you began making your way into the station. "Do you not have a coffee maker at your apartment?" He asked, continuing the conversation.

You shook your head. "My apartment only came with basic appliances. Apparently, a coffee maker is not considered a basic appliance."

"I suppose we'll just have to change that." Akechi said, causing you to look at him. All he did was keep his head forwards, a mysterious smile graced his face.

Once you reached that convenience store, you quickly slipped inside. Akechi decided to wait for you outside. You scanned the isle of energy drinks, having heard of none of them. However, your eyes landed on a small bottle of 5 hour energy. _Perfect._ They were disgusting, but they worked amazingly. Plus they were cheap. You snatched up two and went to pay, putting one of them in your pocket as you neared the door.

Akechi smiled over at you as you exited and you both headed to your last train of the morning.

Silently, you grabbed onto Akechi's wrist and lifted it. You could feel him tense, his hand trembled a bit. You ignored it in favor of slipping one of the energy drinks into his hand and closing his fingers around it with the hand that wasn't holding his wrist.

"I'm not blind, you know." Was all you said as you let go, not looking at him, and took out the other 5 hour energy, twisting off the cap and chugging it. You could feel Akechi's stare burning a hole in your head for a moment, before he copied you and chugged the drink. 

The moment you both walked into Ichiryu, Callie immediately pulled Akechi over to her group, which was only getting bigger. He turned his head and looked over at you, looking like he'd rather die than deal with the group. You frowned, unsure of how to help him. You wouldn't be able to deal with so many girls on your own.

"Did you see Akechi's blog yesterday?"

"Yeah! Apparently someone started making him lunch!"

"Do you think he has a secret girlfriend?"

"Oh I'm so jealous! I bet she's gorgeous."

"I would kill to be in her position."

You swallowed and glanced over at Akechi, who was too occupied with the group of girls to hear the people talking about the lunch you had made him. _That's why you took a picture yesterday?_

Taking out your phone, you searched for his blog. It took a moment for you to find it because of all of the fan-blogs about the famous detective. His most recent post was a picture of the bento you had made him yesterday with the caption, "Perfection in a box." You couldn't hide the smile that lit up your face.

"What are you smiling about?" Callie quipped, causing the group of girls around her to quiet down. A shit-eating smirk pulled at her cheeks. Her body was pressed against Akechi, who was as stiff as a board. He looked so uncomfortable.

Despite being tired, her negative attitude couldn't get you down after what you just saw. "Wouldn't you like to know?" You responded, that smile still plastered on your face as you closed your locker and slid your phone into your pocket. You quickly slipped past her and walked towards your classroom, Akechi followed behind you after mumbling a quiet, "excuse me" to Callie.

"Why were you smiling?" Akechi teased as he came up beside you. "Were you texting a boy?"

You scoffed and rolled your eyes, still unable to stop smiling. "What if I was? Are you gunna go beat him up?" You joked, nudging him with your elbow playfully.

"Well of course I am. Why do you think I asked?" He chuckled slightly, looking over to you as you began ascending the stairs. You could tell that he was trying to give you decent responses.

"But daaaad. I'm almost 18. All of my friends are allowed to date. Why can't I?" You teased, laughing the entire time, hoping you could lighten the mood.

"If you message that boy again, I'll ground you young lady. Do I make myself clear?" You almost snorted because of his retort. You had to stop walking or else you'd trip on a step because of how hard you were laughing.

Akechi just smiled at you as you tried to catch your breath.

**Lunch**

Once again, you waited for Akechi outside of the classroom. This time when he spotted you, he smiled. It wasn't quite genuine, but he hadn't given you that obviously practiced TV smile in a while. This smile just looked tired. That realization made a warm feeling flow through you. It felt good, knowing that he wasn't acting around you as much.

"I'm starving." Akechi sighed, slightly rushing as you both exited the school building and headed towards the library. Everyday, he seemed to be getting more and more genuine around you.

"Akechi, slow down!" You giggled as you jogged to keep up with him. "My little legs can't keep up with you."

His eyes widened for a moment before he chuckled and slowed down. "My apologies. I'm just so excited." He was squinting a bit as he smiled. _He's so cute._ The gentlemanly Prince opened the door to the library for you like always, both of you waved to the librarian as you passed her desk.

Akechi ushered you up the steps to the second floor, ready to start eating lunch. "I'm going to trip." You laughed as you stumbled up the stairs, clinging to the handrail.

As you sat down with the detective, you pulled out his lunch box and handed it to him. He gently untied the cloth around it and opened the top, eyes lighting up at the sight of the food perfectly placed in the box. He quickly pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of it.

The sound of you giggling made him look up at you. "You gunna post that on your blog, Mr. Detective?" You teased. A smirk twitched at his lips as he slipped the chop sticks into his left hand.

"Yes ma'am." Was all he said as he looked over at you, waiting for you to explain todays meal.

"Today I made sweet and sour chicken, with an omelet, cherry tomatoes and rice. I would've made more, but I was tired. Sorry." You explained, sighing towards the end. Akechi just shook his head, looking like he didn't mind.

He took some of the chicken and stuffed it into his mouth. He scrunched up his nose a bit. "Mm. Sour. Yet so sweet. The chicken is tender and the vegetables are still crunchy. I can't get enough." He took another bite, not bothering to look at you. You're glad he didn't because you were a blushing mess.

"I'm glad you like it." You mumbled, doing your best not to stutter as you began eating. You hummed in satisfaction as you ate, you'd definitely make this again soon.

When you had both finished eating, you put the boxes back into your bag and pulled out your homework. A shiver went down your spine, the feeling of someone watching you made you feel sick, until you realized that it was just Akechi. Shock rattled your bones as you looked over at him. You've never seen that expression on his face before. He looked angry.

"W-what's wrong?" You stuttered, unable to keep yourself composed. You immediately felt like you had done something wrong.

"On Sunday, what did you mean when you said you'd sit through my vent, but not listen?" His focus was solely on you. His russet eyes had a hard glint to them, they never left your eyes as he spoke. _Was what I said bothering him?_

You looked away from him, his gaze was so intense it made you nervous. "My therapist used to do this thing where he would put on headphones and listen to loud music while I talked. He gave me the chance to vent about the problems that I wasn't ready to talk about with him. It always helped me, because I knew that he wanted to help me, and if I wanted him to listen, I could just tell him at any time during my vent to remove the headphones. Usually by the time I would meet up with him again, I would be ready to explain those problems. He let me take my time, gave me a chance to prepare myself, while also letting me release my anger and pent up frustration." You explained, glancing over at him. "I'm no therapist, but it really helped me, so I thought it could help you too. Of course, I don't expect you to ever tell me what you're venting about or actually talk about it with me."

Akechi just stared at you, adam's apple bobbing up and down as he took in what you said. It took him a long time before he finally responded. "You'd do that for me?" His voice was nothing more than a whisper, causing your heart to tremble.

"Yeah of course I would." You tilted your head a bit, trying to keep your voice as steady as you could. You knew you needed to stay firm while talking with him about this.

He took a bit to respond again, looking unsure if you meant it, so you dug around in your bag for a moment and pulled out your headphones. He watched as you plugged them into your phone and put the buds into your ears, giving him a soft smile when you were done.

Akechi stood from his seat and walked to the end of the table, looking around to make sure no one would hear what he said, before he came and sat back down in front of you. He stayed silent as you pulled up a music app and turned up the volume as loud as you could handle. You furrowed your eyebrows a bit and scrunched up your nose because of how loud it was.

Akechi opened his mouth and said something, but all you could hear was the sound of Katy Perry's 'Fireworks' playing on full blast in your ears. _A pop queen._

You removed the earbuds and smiled at Akechi. He cringed at how loud the music playing from the tiny ear pieces was. "I'll let you know if the music hits a quiet part or changes by putting a finger to my lips, that way you know when to stop talking." He nodded in response as you put the headphones back in. _Vent away my dear knight._

Akechi kept eye contact with you as he began venting. His face remained neutral for the most part. There were moments where he'd frown or furrow his eyebrows, but he never showed you any more true anger. Every once and a while, he'd stop and look around before continuing to speak.

You couldn't help but wonder what he was saying. _Is he talking about the murders? Is he talking about how this was a stupid idea? Is he confessing his undying love and affection for me?_ You wished you were better at reading lips.

By the time he was done, it was about time to head back to class. He motioned for you to remove your headphones by bringing up his hands and making it look like he was removing headphones from his ears. Once you did, he spoke up. "You heard none of that?" He asked, a cautious look in his eyes.

"I heard none of that." You rubbed your ears. "How did my therapist do this so often? Good lord." You chuckled as you put away the headphones. "Do you feel any better?" Your voice was softer, you were trying to not yell, it was hard to hear yourself.

Akechi looked away from you as he spoke. "Yes. I do actually. Thank you." 

"Good!" You said a bit louder than you meant to. You slapped a hand over your mouth, which caused Akechi to chuckle and shake his head. "Sorry." You mumbled.

"I don't think we'll be doing that again. I don't want you to ruin your hearing." He sighed, only glancing at you, seeming like he was mildly concerned about you. Or maybe he was worried that you did hear him or would hear him in the future.

"Nonsense. We can do this as many times as you like. Maybe I could just buy noise cancelling headphones instead so I don't have to listen to extremely loud music." You put a hand on your chin as you thought about other ways you could do this.

The bell rang before either of you could say any more about the topic. Akechi looked a bit relieved by that fact.

As you were leaving the library with the detective, a thought popped into your head. "Do you have plans tomorrow?" You asked, looking over at him. You needed to make sure that he wouldn't spend his possible day off tearing through Kamoshida's palace.

He shook his head. "Sadly, I have to work tomorrow thanks to the psychotic breakdown yesterday. Sae-san won't let me take the day off." He looked so tired. "Why? Did you want to take me on a date?" He smirked down at you, attempting to tease you.

A blush spread across your cheeks at the thought of dating the detective. "Y-yup. That's totally the reason. I definitely wasn't asking to see if you would be free so we can get that cooking lesson out of the way." You wanted the Earth to open up and swallow you because of your stuttering. 

"I was hoping we could get that over with soon as well, but I'm not sure when I'll have a day off." He didn't sound too thrilled about having to cook with you.

"Well... I guess it'll give me time to plan what I'm going to teach. I'll make sure to keep our hang out session brief. I know you'll probably want to spend the day relaxing." You smiled up at him, hoping you weren't pushing your boundaries with the boy.

He gave you a brief smile of relief before you both went back to walking in silence.

**Afterschool**

As the Shujin bell rang, you excused yourself from your classroom to go use the restroom. On your way, you ran into a certain group of three, technically four if you counted the cat in the bag. 

"Yo Senpai!" Ryuji said as he locked eyes with you, a cheeky grin lighting up his face as he waved at you.

"Good afternoon, L/N-senpai." Ren said, nodding to you. Ann just stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to act since she didn't know who you were. A muffled meow coming from Ren's bag made you giggle.

"Princess?" Ann whispered, staring at the bag Morgana was in. You glanced over at Ann. _Princess?_

"Hey guys. Is Morgana in your bag again?" You asked, looking at Ren with a suspicious look. Ann furrowed her eyebrows as she continued to look at the bag in question. She looked so confused.

"Haha yeah. Ren decided that he wanted to keep the cat." Ryuji awkwardly explained, looking over at Ren for help. You looked in between the boys before settling your gaze back on Ren.

"I'm not allowed to leave him alone at home, so I take him with me whenever I leave. Morgana is pretty patient and relaxed so it's easy to take him places." Ren didn't sound nearly as awkward explaining as Ryuji did. He actually looked kind of proud of his kitty friend.

"Aww how precious! What a good boy." You squealed and rounded Ren to peak into his bag. Morgana looked up at you from a crack and meowed. You stuck a finger in and rubbed his head, cooing at him. "I'm glad you made it back to Shujin on your own."

"By the way, this is our new friend Ann Takamaki." Ren said, pointing at the blonde haired girl beside him. Her eyes widened and she straightened her back a bit as you both made eye contact.

"Hello! I'm sorry I didn't mean to ignore you. I'm Y/N L/N. The English tutor." You bowed to her, smiling brightly at her, hoping that you didn't offend her by only paying attention to the boys. You were just excited to say hi to Morgana. You had been worried about him.

She immediately returned your smile with one that was just as bright as yours. "It's a pleasure to meet you, L/N-san." She beamed. _Gosh, she's so pretty. Please be my friend and give me fashion advice._

"Well, I should get going. I have to start tutoring again soon. It was nice meeting you Takamaki-san. I hope we can all talk again soon! Bye bye Morgana-chan." You cooed that last part and stuck your fingers in Ren's bag one last time to pet the kitty.

"Heck yeah! See ya." Ryuji smiled at you, looking a little relieved that you wouldn't have to be talking any longer. You understood, they had important things to talk about.

"See you later Senpai." Ren mumbled, twisting his bangs in between his fingers as he smiled at you.

"It was nice meeting you too! Bye!" Ann said as she walked past you and followed the boys to their destination. If you remembered correctly, they were going to talk about preparing before infiltrating Kamoshida's palace again.

After you finished up in the restroom, you rushed back to your classroom, realizing that you had taken too much time.

"L/N-senpai!" A familiar voice called to you. You turned to see a certain red head hustling towards you.

"Yoshizawa-san. Hello." You smiled at her as she approached you, seeming to be a bit out of breath.

"Sorry for this, but I was wondering if I could get your phone number. I won't be able to join your tutoring session today or most days next week because I have practice, so I was hoping we could possibly facetime later tonight. I understand if you say no, you're probably a busy person. I was just-" She was beginning to ramble so you gently cut her off.

"Yeah of course! Here." You pulled out your phone and handed it over to her so she could give you her contact information. She entered her number then sent herself a text so she'd have your number too. "I usually go to bed at around 10 or 11 P.M. so we should have enough time to chat when you get done with practice."

"Thank you so much!" She bowed to you before she speed walked away.

_Goodness. I met Ann and got Kasumi's number in the span of 5 minutes. Is anything else going to happen today?_

**Evening**

As you finished up for the day, Makoto entered your vision, standing at the door of your classroom. She smiled softly at you as you walked towards her, ready to leave.

"I'm done with my student council work for today, so I figured we could head home together." She said as you began walking together. Your heart swelled as you looked at her.

"That sounds great, however, I have to stop by the staff room again to drop off papers before we leave." You responded, slightly cringing at the look that crossed Makoto's face. She stayed silent and led the way.

The English teacher that you graded papers for seemed satisfied with your work. He said a simple, "thank you", before he got up and left for the day. Thankfully, Makoto pulled you out of the room before any of the other teachers could give you work, which you were grateful for. You needed a break from grading.

"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" Makoto asked as you both exited the school building.

"Does doing laundry count?" You chuckled, not prepared for having to figure out how to use your new laundry machine. You could barely use the one you had back home.

"I feel that. I'm going to be doing chores too. My sis has to work tomorrow because of that psychotic breakdown case yesterday so I'm going to be doing her chores for her." She sighed, also looking like she wasn't prepared for the work she was going to have to do tomorrow.

"Oh yeah. Akechi mentioned that your sister wouldn't be giving him a day off any time soon. Poor guy." You laughed a bit, causing her to laugh too. You felt relieved to know that he hadn't been lying to you.

"That sounds like my sister." She giggled. "So." She practically sang. "How did it go with him today?" She asked, giving you a knowing look.

You laughed, covering your mouth with your hand, feeling a bit shy. "When I said his name without the honorific, he looked shocked for a second. Then he dropped the honorific when saying my name." You could feel your cheeks heat up a bit as you confessed that.

"Ha! I knew he would. I told you so, he just wants a friend." She smiled at you, looking proud of your accomplishment. 

The rest of your time together was spent complaining about various teachers you had. You had been getting fed up with your math teacher. He had been giving you homework everyday, acting like you didn't have 6 other teachers giving you homework. Makoto complained about her history teacher. Apparently, she gave her class pop quizzes 3 days in a row.

When you stepped off of the train with Makoto, you received a text from Kasumi, saying that she would like to facetime with you at 7:30 P.M., which you were fine with, sending her a simple "sounds good :)" in response. Both you and Makoto said your goodbyes once you reached her next platform. 

As you entered your apartment, you immediately got to work on making yourself dinner. You thought something quick and light would be best so you wouldn't get sleepy while you were helping Kasumi. You wanted to make sure that she would have your full attention. This was your first private tutoring session after all.

You decided to cook some shrimp in butter and added soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder and black pepper as it was cooking. You also made some rice and reheated the extra snow peas from yesterdays lunch. You were so proud with how your quick meal turned out, maybe you'd make Akechi this at some point.

Before you knew it, your phone was ringing. It was Kasumi.

"Good evening Senpai!" She beamed when you answered. She was wearing her pj's and had her hair wrapped in a towel. She had probably just showered.

"Good evening Yoshizawa-san. Are you ready?" You responded, smiling back at her.

"Yes ma'am! Sorry if I'm interrupting anything." She said, looking a bit worried.

"No worries. I just got done eating dinner so it's all good." She visibly relaxed after you said that and began explaining her homework to you. 

Kasumi is quite the sharp girl. It didn't take her long to finish the homework she had been given, only about 45 minutes. You were pretty proud of her. She definitely studied hard to get to where she was. You were questioning if she actually even needed your help the entire time.

"By the way Senpai, I hope you don't mind me asking, but is it true that you're friends with that celebrity detective Goro Akechi?" She tilted her head, causing her towel to fall off. "Oops."

 _Oh of course. Everyone wants to know._ "Ahh... Yes it's true." You said sheepishly, awkwardly shifting in your seat. Kasumi's eyes widened a bit and she sat up straight.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to! I'm sure a lot of people ask you about it." She spoke quickly, nervous that she made you uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about it. I've only started referring to him as a friend recently, so talking about him like this is still a bit new to me." You explained, giggling a bit at the fact that you were gossiping with the purest girl in the game.

She giggled back. "Really? People at Shujin have been saying that you and him were friends since school started." She chuckled, seeming like she didn't believe you.

"Well... Akechi and I met on Sunday. We actually live pretty close to each other so we've been going to school together. On Monday, we walked into school together and people immediately assumed at we knew each other, even though I barely knew the boys name at the time. I didn't even know that he was famous until a few days later. I just thought he was the popular boy at Ichiryu or something." You said, scratching your chin a bit, thinking back to how Akechi approached you out of no where on Sunday. _I still don't understand why he talked to me out of all people._

"Oh I see. That makes more sense. You're from America, aren't you?" The fact that she was genuinely interested in you kind of surprised you. You didn't think you were all that interesting.

"Mhm! I originally lived in California before I moved here." You hesitated slightly before telling her that you moved here, considering you just kind of appeared in this world, but it's not like you could just tell her that.

"Wow! I've heard great things about California! What are the beaches-" Kasumi was cut off by a masculine voice, probably her fathers. You couldn't quite make out what he was saying, his voice kept cutting out since he wasn't close enough to the mic. "Sorry Senpai, but it looks like I have to go for now. It was nice talking to you! Thank you for helping me!"

"Alright! I'm sure we'll talk again soon. Goodnight." You smiled at her and waved.

"Yeah! Goodnight!" She waved back at you before she hung up.

**April 17th. Sunday. Morning.**

Your morning went by quickly. You had cereal and fruit for breakfast when you woke up, then spent the rest of the time doing household chores. You dusted and swept the floor, wiped down the kitchen table and then finally decided to do your laundry.

You groaned as you slapped the side of your laundry machine like it was a bag of rice. You had never been good with technology, so figuring out how a foreign machine worked was difficult for you. Eventually, you just gave up and pressed the big 'Start' button. At this point, you didn't care about settings or water temperature. You'd let it do whatever.

**Lunch**

A soft dinging came from your phone which had been set on your mostly unused desk. Checking your phone, you noticed that you had received a text from Ren.

**Ren Amamiya**

**12:04 P.M.**

**Ren:** Hey Senpai. Are you busy today?

Not really. Just got finished doing some chores. Why? **:Y/N**

 **Ren:** Wanna hang out with me and Ryuji? We're doing some shopping in Shibuya.

Yeah sure! Where do you want to meet? **:Y/N**

 **Ren:** We just got off the subway. We could wait for you in the station.

Actually, I live pretty close to the station :) You wanna meet me in front of my apartment complex? **:Y/N**

 **Ren:** Sounds good :) Give me your address and we'll head over.

**Y/N L/N has sent their location.**

See you in a bit! **:Y/N**

You quickly slipped on a pair of black high-waisted shorts and a white long sleeved blouse, which you tucked into your shorts. You didn't have many non-school outfits. You knew you'd have to change that. Your summer break was only a few months away.

Finally, you slipped a bag over your shoulder and made your way out of your apartment, heading towards the entrance.

"Good afternoon, guys!" You smiled and waved at them, to which they waved back.

"What's up Senpai." Ryuji said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as you made your way to them. Ren just nodded at you, a muffled meow came from his bag.

"Nothing much. Where are we going today?" You asked as the boys turned and began walking with you behind them.

"You'll see." Was all Ryuji said, just smiling. You glanced at Ren and he shrugged.

"I have no idea where we're going either." He mumbled, fiddling with his bangs. Morgana popped out of Ren's bag and stared at you. You reached over and scratched his cheeks. He purred and pushed his face into your hand. _Sweet boy._

Ryuji led you both towards the Crossing, which was that giant intersection where hundreds of people would cross at once. It was quite the sight. You haven't had the chance to visit the Crossing yet, so you were kind of excited, and also terrified. As you neared a corner, you could hear someone giving a speech. All 3 of you came to a stop to listen.

"Everyone, wake up! This country is twisted!" _No kidding._ The man began. You recognized him, but couldn't remember his name. "While Japanese society may appear to be thriving, many young people have not been as blessed as their elders. They have no jobs, no savings, no financial security whatsoever... These young people should be tackling their futures head-on, but instead, they're too busy merely trying to survive."

"Eh, people give speeches all the time. Plus, politics are pretty boring, anyways." Ryuji said, not taking the man seriously. You sighed and shook your head.

"You should take politics a little more seriously, Sakamoto-kun. They're important and can effect your everyday life." Ryuji just rolled his eyes at your retort and smiled down at you.

"I didn't know you were into politics, Senpai." He put his hands on the back of his head, looking a bit surprised. Ren also looked kind of surprised.

"I find them mildly interesting. It's fun to see how easily people are fooled by sweet words and empty promises." You winked at them, showing you were joking, for the most part. Ryuji cackled at your explanation. Ren gave a soft chuckle.

"Hardcore." Ryuji laughed before leading the way again. It didn't take long to reach Central Street.

 _Are they taking me to the model gun shop? Why?_ You asked yourself as Ryuji stopped to say something.

"Follow me. The shop can be pretty confusin' to find sometimes." He said, heading towards the shop. Ren immediately took a detour and spoke to some of the people standing around. You could hear Morgana meow at him to keep him focused. You put a hand to your mouth and giggled as you came to stand beside Ryuji, watching as Ren completely got off track. "Geez." He sighed, watching the boy check out the shops you both ignored. Ren finally approached you both when he was done looking around.

"Hey, it's this way!" Ryuji nodded his head in the direction of an alleyway and began walking again. You and Ren followed him. "This is it. Pretty legit, huh?" He asked once you all stood in front of the shop.

"This is exciting." Ren said, looking like he was ready to spend all of his money in the store.

"Oh, are you into military stuff?" Ryuji asked, a surprised look sat on his face.

"I never would've pegged you as a gun nut." You laughed softly. Ren looked like a child who had been given money and left to roam a toy store.

"Anyways, lets check out what's inside." Ryuji finished, letting Ren lead the way.

You just went with it, thinking that this could be fun. You thought they would explain why they brought you afterwards. At least you hoped they would. You couldn't deny that you were confused about why you were here.

The inside of the shop was cold and smelled like plastic. Guns lined the back wall, many of them looked bigger than you. The iconic Airsoft shop theme was playing on the speakers, filling the store with head bobbing music. The man behind the counter, Iwai, didn't bother looking up at you three. He was focused on reading the magazine in his hands. As Ren approached him, he looked up, giving the teenage boy his attention.

"You know what you want yet?" Iwai asked. His voice was gruff and husky. It kind of reminded you of your dads voice.

"Got any recommendations?" Ren asked, making you cringe slightly. _How awkward._ This probably looked suspicious. Three random high school kids entering an Airsoft shop asking for gun recommendations.

"...You lookin' for recommendations?" Iwai looked confused and uninterested. Ren just nodded in response. You shifted closer to Ryuji, Iwai was kind of intimidating. "...I dunno, just buy whatever looks interestin' to you." He dismissed.

"Ugh, some customer service..." Ryuji groaned, you elbowed him slightly, mumbling a, "Be nice."

Iwai looked up at Ryuji for a moment before sighing and looking back down to his magazine. "Fine, whaddya want? An automatic? A revolver?" He asked, still sounding uninterested.

"Uh, automatic...? Dude, why're talkin' about cars now?!" Ryuji said, sounding angry and confused. You mentally face palmed. _Idiot._

"He's not talking about cars dummy." You sighed and shook your head. Iwai glanced at you for the first time today, as if he just noticed you.

"Listen, this here's an enthusiast shop. My regulars'll be mad if I let a casual like you hang around." The gun expert said, not bothering to look at you all while he spoke.

"I'm not a freakin' casual! I bought shit from here like, last week!" The blond practically yelled.

Iwai just shook his head. "Huh, can't remember you." You chuckled a bit. 

"You bastard..." Ryuji groaned.

"And you? Lookin' for something?" Iwai asked Ren, looking at the boy.

"A fancy model gun." Ren smirked, looking like he knew what he was talking about, but if you had to guess, he was just saying things to say them.

That caught Iwai's attention. "...Oh? You a collector? Heh, you're way more interesting than blondie over there. Can't say much about that girl though." He glanced at you once more, you just waved, probably looking like you were just happy to be here.

"Oh, shut it." Ryuji pouted, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Anyways... you shoulda said before you three're enthusiasts. I'm always up for helpin' fresh faces." Iwai said before taking his legs off the counter and giving you his full attention. "Some precautions first though. Don't go 'round pointing 'em at other people. Keep 'em in a bag or somethin' if you're outside. Oh, and don't let the fuzz catch wind of you having 'em. I don't need them comin' around here."

"We'll be careful, promise." Ren said seriously. Both you and Ryuji nodded in agreement.

"You damn well better be." You shuttered when Iwai said that, he was kind of scary. "Now, if you look close, you'll be able to tell these're models. Real guns feel... different. Maybe someday I'll show you the real good stuff though-if you got the guts for it, of course... But for now, you get the beginner selection. Just sit tight, I'll bring 'em out." Iwai finished as he stood and walked into the back to get his selection for you all.

"...We did it, dude." Ryuji chuckled as he looked at Ren. You gave them both a confused look, trying to make it seem like you had no idea what was going on. "We totally gotta go for some fancy shit, right? I want 'em to shine! Oh, and here's the cash for mine. Pick me out something good." He beamed, handing Ren a handful of bills.

"Do you guys actually know anything about guns?" You asked, laughing a bit.

"Nope." Ryuji said and gave you a thumbs up. Ren shook his hand, saying that he kind of knew what he was doing.

Iwai came back and showed you all of the equipment you could choose from. Ren picked out a bunch of different things. 3 new guns, 4 new melee weapons, 3 protectors and a handful of accessories.

"By the way, what's the most realistic looking small gun you have?" Ren asked and nodded his head towards you. You just scrunched up your eyebrows. Iwai looked kind of confused too, so Ren explained a bit further. "Our friend here is a foreign transfer student, so she can't legally carry a real weapon to protect herself. Being a small and cute school girl, lots of men creep on her, so we figured we'd get her something as realistic as possible to make dangerous individuals have second thoughts about approaching her."

Your heart fluttered at Ren and Ryuji's concern. _They really care about me this much? But why now? Do they know what Kamoshida did to me?_

"I've got just the thing." Iwai said before he stood again and disappeared into the back of his shop. When he came back, he had a simple black pistol in his hands. "This is a Beretta bb pistol. It can shoot actual bb's, unlike the fake models you boys bought. This is technically legal for you to carry around, and it can actually protect you should you need it to. Just keep in mind that it won't do much damage." Iwai smirked as you approached the counter, mouth slightly open.

"How much?" Ren asked before you could say anything, digging around in his wallet.

"Ama-" You were cut off by Iwai.

"¥15,000. I'll throw in a bag of bb's too." He said, setting a small bag of bb's next to the pistol. You didn't have a chance to say anything as Ren set the money in Iwai's hands and grabbed the gun, then stuffed it into your bag.

"Wh-" You were once again cut off.

"Thank you." Ren said as he turned and began guiding you towards the door with Ryuji following behind you both. Once you all exited the place, you stopped in your tracks, causing Ren to bump into you.

"Amamiya, what? Why? Wh- I can pay you back." You weren't sure what to say, you were still in shock. He just chuckled and shook his head. Ryuji smiled down at you as you struggled with your words.

"Don't worry about it. What are friends for?" Ren said in that calm, soothing voice of his. You just stared up at him, feeling like you wanted to cry.

"Kamoshida can't creep on you now." Ryuji said confidently, knowing that you could protect yourself now if you needed to.

"Thanks guys..." You mumbled, trying not to cry as tears made their ways to the corners of your eyes.

"Ah geez Senpai. No need to cry. How about we go get some ramen? I'm starving." Ryuji laughed, awkwardly scratching the back of his head, changing the subject.

Ren chuckled and smirked. "You're always hungry." He said as he began walking towards the station, leaving you and Ryuji scrambling to catch up with him. 

"Ramen sounds amazing." You giggled as you dried your watery eyes when you caught up to the frizzy haired leader of thieves. Ryuji hissed a soft, "Yes!" And fist pumped.

The train ride to the ramen shop was filled with talks about random things. Ryuji brought up the old track team. Ren talked about how everything he owns now smells like coffee, and Morgana meowed a bunch. It was entertaining to watch the people on the train look at you all like you were crazy as you talked to the cat. You just wished you could understand Morgana.

"Finally!" Ryuji groaned as the four of you approached the shop. You rubbed your hands together in excitement. _Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum._

You took a seat in between the boys and ordered the same thing you got last time. "Oh! I never thanked you for recommending this place Sakamoto! I brought the other American transfer students with me and they all loved this place too." You beamed at the blond haired boy, trying not to drool as you spoke .

"No problem! This place is the best." He responded, smiling back just as brightly.

"Also... Should I be concerned about you guys buying a bunch of fake weapons?" You whispered, trying to look confused as you looked over at Ren.

"Nope." He said and turned his attention to the cat sitting in his bag. You looked over to Ryuji with a bewildered look, all he did was shrug.

"Well then." You sighed and turned your attention to the man making your food.

Once you all had your food, you immediately began eating. It was just as good as you remembered it being. A part of you wanted to eat slowly and savor the taste, but another part of you wanted to unhinge your jaw like a snake and swallow the bowl whole.

Ryuji seemed to be having the same struggle because one moment, he was slowly sipping the broth, and the next, he was shoveling noodles into his mouth. Ren on the other hand, was taking his sweet time. You saw him sneakily feed Morgana some noodles and meat. _That's so cute!_

Ryuji managed to convince you to get a second serving with him, meanwhile, Ren was still working on his first. "I didn't know you had such an appetite Senpai!" Ryuji laughed, patting you on the back, clearly proud of you. 

"You gotta have a big appetite when you cook as much as I do." You explained, giving him a cheeky smile as more food was set in front of you.

Ryuji moved really close to you. "You cook?" He whispered, looking a little too excited.

"Yup." You squeaked in response, leaning towards Ren as you tried to make room in between you and Ryuji. You could hear Ren chuckle and Morgana meowed.

"Shut up cat. You want to try her cooking too." Ryuji snapped at Morgana, causing you to giggle as he pulled away. The second years eyes widened and he stuttered as he tried to find an explanation for what he just said.

"Ryuji is just a cat whisperer." Ren explained, still eating his first bowl of ramen, not even bothering to look at you two. 

"Uh... Yeah. That's it." Ryuji said, which only made you laugh harder. _His acting is top notch._ You joked to yourself.

** Evening **

When you all finished, you paid and made your way back to the station. It was getting kind of late, so you all decided to call it a day. You and Ren would get off at the Shibuya stop, but Ryuji would have to stay on the train since he had a few more stops before he would get home.

"Bye Sakamoto! It was nice hanging out with you today! We should do this again." You giggled as your train came to a stop.

Ryuji smiled down at you. "Hell yeah! Ren-Ren can give you my number. Text me whenever you want to hang out." He said before you and Ren had to get off the train.

"Ren-Ren?" You laughed a bit and looked up at the protagonist. His lips twitched upwards into a slight smile.

"Ryuji just started calling me that the other day for whatever reason." He explained, Morgana meowed from his bag and pushed himself out so that he was leaning on Ren's shoulder. "You know, you're welcome to call me that too." He glanced at you from the corner of his eye, a smirk on his face.

You almost squealed from how happy you felt. "Really?" _He wants to be on a first name basis too?_

"Yeah of course. I meant it when I said we were friends earlier." His boldness surprised you. His Joker persona seemed to be leaking into his real world personality. 

"Alright, Ren-Ren." You nudged him softly with your elbow. "You're welcome to call me, Y/N." You smiled up at him, watching as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Sounds good, Y/N-senpai." He said. His voice echoed around in your mind and just like with Makoto, it seemed like your heart was singing. "Oh, and give me your phone. I'll give you Ryuji's contact info."

You pulled out your phone and handed it to him, letting him give you the blond boys info. Once he handed you back your phone, you had reached his train platform.

"Well. Goodnight Y/N." He gave you a soft smile and Morgana meowed at you from his shoulder.

"Goodnight Ren. And goodnight Morgana." You cooed as you reached up and pet the kitties head. You watched them ride the escalator and disappear into the waiting area before you headed back to your apartment. You smiled like a dork the entire walk back to your home.

At first, you never would've imagined that you would let yourself be friends with the important characters, but now, you couldn't be happier.

As you entered your apartment you pulled out your phone.

** Goro Akechi **

** 6:31 P.M. **

Do you have any requests for tomorrows lunch? :) **:Y/N**

This time, Akechi didn't respond immediately, which freaked you out a bit. You couldn't help but worry that he had somehow gotten out of work early or something and went after Kamoshida. _Maybe he's just working late. Yeah. That has to be it._ Panic was building up in your chest.

For now, you decided to finish doing your laundry. All you had to do was fold your clothes and put them away. They seemed to be okay. Nothing shrunk and the colors didn't bleed.

Suddenly, for the first time since you got to this world, you found yourself with nothing to do. You had no idea what you could do. _Should I just watch TV? Should I do some Google searching and learn about this world? Should I just go to sleep?_

You thought the best idea would be to learn more about this world. Some things seemed the same, and yet, there were probably a lot of differences too.

As it turns out, after about two hours of searching, you found out that nearly everything in this world was the same as your world. The only differences were the persona characters, differences in Tokyo's districts and the fact that yours and the other 'transfer students' families didn't exist in this world.

** Goro Akechi **

** 8:52 P.M. **

** Akechi:  ** My apologies for the late response! I went to dinner with Sae-san and a few other members in our department :)

Also, really? You've been making me lunch everyday so far. Are you sure?

No worries! I hope you had fun! And if I didn't want to make you lunch, I wouldn't have messaged you. **:Y/N**

**Akechi:** Fair point. How about something with noodles? 

Sure I can do that. I suppose it's not too late to go to the store to buy noodles. Unless you'd prefer homemade noodles. **:Y/N**

** Akechi:  ** I'm currently on my way home. I could stop by the store for you. Besides, I got you something while I was out

and I'd like to drop it off before I forget to.

Wait. You got me something? What is it? **:Y/N**

**Akechi:** I'm not giving you any hints! I just got to Shibuya. I'll be at your place in around 15 minutes.

Well alright :') Buy any kind of noodles. I can work with whatever you get. **:Y/N**

Your mind raced with idea's of what he meant. _He got me something? Like a gift? What?_ Your heart was beating so fast you thought it would fly out of your chest. 

15 minutes seemed to speed by because the next thing you know, you're jumping from fright from the sudden knocking on your door. He was actually a bit early. You still had your hair in a towel, letting it dry, and you were in an oversized shirt that covered the comfy shorts you were wearing that made up your pj's.

You unlocked your door and opened it, meeting the surprised eyes of the detective, watching as he looked you up and down quickly. "You can't tell me that you didn't expect me to be in my pj's at 9 P.M." You teased as you let him inside.

"I must admit, I hadn't been expecting it." He chuckled as he walked in.

"Give me a sec to put this towel away." You scuttled to your bathroom and quickly ran the towel through your hair. It was still a bit damp, but it wouldn't take much longer to dry.

Once you finished, you walked out and took the spaghetti noodles that he had bought and set it aside with the spices you planned on using for tomorrows lunch. Once you turned around, you saw Akechi opening his briefcase.

"Close your eyes." He said sweetly, a charming smile sitting on his lips. You gave him a suspicious look before you did as you were told. _What is he up to?_

You could sense the detective come up behind you and put something over your head, letting whatever it was rest against your body. Then you felt him tying something behind your back. 

"Perfect..." He mumbled before stepping away from you and coming to stand in front of you once more. "Open your eyes."

You slowly opened your eyes and looked down. Sitting on your body was a cute pink apron that had a blue and white floral pattern. There were two front pockets. It fit you perfectly.

"What do you think?" Akechi asked, looking a bit nervous.

"I-... Akechi." You whispered, unable to say more.

"I saw it and thought of you. I remembered you said that I could surprise you with things since you're cooking for me. So I thought this would be an appropriate surprise." He explained, still unsure if you liked it or not.

_ Am I dreaming...? Why is everyone being so nice to me today? _

You couldn't hold back your tears this time. You could feel their heat trickling down your cheeks as you continued to stare at the apron.

Your crying seemed to alarm Akechi. "If you don't like it, I can take it back or get-" You knew you wouldn't be able to get any words out so you just crossed your fingers and hoped you didn't scare him away as you wrapped your arms around him and pressed your face into his chest, grabbing handfuls of his coat as you hugged him.

Akechi gasped and stiffened. You could feel him tremble slightly and the shiver that slipped down his spine.

You cried softly into his chest. Every emotion you had felt up to this point came pouring out as you clung to the detective. For a long moment, he just stood there, frozen, before he slowly raised one of his shaky hands and held the back of your head.

"Is it safe to assume that you like it?" He asked, forcing a chuckle. You knew you had to let go when you heard his voice. He was uncomfortable.

You pulled away from him and wiped your eyes, then dabbed the wet spot on his tan peacoat with your new apron. "Yeah. I love it." You laughed a bit. "Thank you, Akechi." 

"I'm glad." He said softly as he watched you try to dry his coat. "I can't wait to try what you make tomorrow." 

"I won't let you down." You giggled, smiling up at him. He didn't hesitate to return your smile.

"I know you won't. I'll get out of your hair now. It's getting late." He said as he walked to his briefcase and closed it, preparing to leave.

"Alright." You began as you walked to your door and opened it for him. "Goodnight." You hummed as Akechi walked out your door.

"Goodnight, L/N." He responded before continuing his way down the hall.

Once you closed the door, you pressed your back to it and slid down it, folding in on yourself. Your heart was going wild. Akechi had put thought into getting you a gift. 

_He doesn't like affection dummy._ You scolded yourself as you struggled to accept what just happened. Though, he didn't seem too shook by what you did. 

When you finally picked yourself up off of the floor, you turned off the lights in your apartment and went straight to bed, not bothering to dry your hair all the way. You curled up around your extra pillow and let sleep pull you into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the comments and support on the last chapter have me fucking sobbing ;; y'all are too nice. I'm so happy you're all enjoying my story. I'm on my own when it comes to writing this (i don't have an editor and my friends don't play persona) so knowing that i'm doing the characters justice and meeting your guys expectations makes me so happy ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <3333
> 
> Also I hope I'm not rushing the friendship between MC and Akechi ahsdkjflsdkj. Romance won't happen until much later, but I'm worried that i'm making the friendship between the two happen too fast ;;;; Like, i'm trying to keep barriers between the two, but I can't help but worry hhhh hsdjkhfa


	9. The Castle of Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your part in the plot is ever growing it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

**???. ???. ???**

You hissed through your teeth as your consciousness returned. A sharp pain on the side of your head made you want to cry. It felt like someone was slowly ripping your skull apart. You struggled helplessly against the chains that held you in place. Your arms were pinned above your head and your ankles were secured to the ground by thick iron cuffs which were held closed by two heavy duty padlocks, keeping you on your knees. 

The cold, sharp cobblestone beneath you cut and scraped your knees, shins and feet as you struggled.

Panic was quickly filling your body as you scanned the unfamiliar room. It was dark, but the light seeping under the doorway helped you see what was around you. To your right was what looked to be a bed with a canopy bedframe and to your left looked to be a makeup vanity. _How did I get here? Where am I?_

You struggled harder against the restraints. The frigid air around you nipped at your exposed skin. Someone had stripped you, leaving you in only your bra and underwear. 

Tears rushed to the corners of your eyes and cascaded down your cheeks as you continued to pull at the cuffs, causing them to dig harshly into your skin. It took all of your strength to not scream as you felt your skin catch and tear against the poorly made cuffs, which made something warm begin to trickle down your right arm.

Using the blood from the wounds you had created, you tried to lubricate your wrist and hand enough to slip them out. As you ripped your right hand from it's constraint, your memories of the day came flooding back into your mind.

**April 18th. Monday. Morning**

You groaned as you slapped your nightstand, trying to find your phone so you could turn off your alarm. You had spent the entire night curled around your extra pillow as you slept, which meant your muscles were sore and stiff when you woke up. _Ow._ It hasn't even been 5 minutes since you've woken up and you could already tell that today was going to be a mess.

After you finally managed to convince your screaming muscles to move, you shimmied over to your bathroom and worked on doing your morning routine. It took you longer to do it since you could barely lift your arms. For a moment, you contemplated calling in sick to school and taking a day off, but you knew you shouldn't since it was only the second week of school.

You barely had enough time to make yourself breakfast and lunch before you had to get ready to leave. Of course, you wouldn't forget to put on that cute apron that Akechi had given you while you cooked. For lunch today, you decided to make sesame noodles with chicken and broccoli, mini sausages shaped like octopuses, omelets and rice. A very half assed meal in your opinion. Hopefully Akechi would still like it.

Speaking of Akechi, he texted you, letting you know he was outside your complex waiting for you while you were in the middle of getting dressed. You told him that you were still getting dressed and that he could go ahead if he wanted to since you would take a bit. He didn't respond, so you assumed he went on ahead without you.

As you made your way to the lobby, those businessmen were back, looking at you like you were nothing but a nuisance. They reminded you of the students at your high school.

Upon exiting the complex, you noticed Akechi had actually waited for you. A look of pity flashed across his face as he watched you trudge down the stairs.

"Good morning, L/N." He said softly as you stopped in front of him, shoulders hunched and head down.

"Morning..." You mumbled, barely able to lift your head enough to look at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, eyes scanning your pathetic form as you both began walking.

"I slept in a weird position so now my entire body hurts. I considered not going to school today, but it's only the second week." You groaned, trying to walk in a straight line. Akechi chuckled a bit.

"Sounds like you need a massage." He joked in an attempt to lighten your mood. It worked.

"Are you offering?" You teased, doing your best to look over at him.

"For the right price." He smiled down at you. You just huffed and rolled your eyes.

"I guess I'll just suffer then." You sighed, knowing you'd never be able to pay him enough to give you a massage, though, you weren't sure if you wanted Goro Akechi to do something like that to you.

"You're not even going to try?" He questioned, his smile pulling into more of a smirk.

"I barely make enough to pay my rent. What makes you think I'll ever be able to offer the Ace Detective Prince enough to give me a massage?" You chuckled, then groaned immediately at the pain your laugh caused.

"So you do know." He said lowly, causing you to look back up at him.

"Know what?" You tilted your head a bit despite the pain it caused.

"That I'm famous." He explained. _Oh. That's right. I never told him that I knew._ You thought that was a bit weird though, since you mentioned his blog the other day.

"To be fair, I didn't know until a few days after we met." You mumbled, looking away from him because you couldn't handle the pain your neck was causing you.

"You didn't think to mention it? Or question me about it?" He asked, sounding like he wasn't sure if he could believe what you're saying.

"Not really. Should I have? I'm sorry. I thought you'd prefer if I just treated you like a normal person and not like a celebrity." You said, voice coming out a lot smaller than you expected it to. You were worried that he was mad at you. You could feel him looking at you.

"I do prefer that. It's just surprising to me is all." He hummed, not looking away from you. You glanced at him from the corner of your eyes and made eye contact with him. A soft smile graced your face as you took in the confused look on his face.

"Do you want me to ask you questions about your fame? Maybe swoon and drool like one of your fangirls? Should I attempt to flirt with you while my friends also flirt with you?" You giggled, imagining yourself being a part of his swarm of fans. 

"If you have questions, I'd be willing to answer them. And yes. I would like you to do those things when you get the chance. I work hard for my fame you know." His look of confusion was replaced with a shit eating grin, voice laced with sarcasm.

You had to stop and lean against one of the station walls as you laughed. Your legs couldn't hold up your body on their own. Akechi just lifted a hand and covered his mouth as he watched you struggle to not slide down the wall because of your laughing fit.

As you entered the school grounds, you did your best to straighten your back and look like you weren't struggling to walk. You could feel Akechi glance at you a few times as you walked in. If you were alone, you wouldn't be trying so hard to look presentable, but Akechi had an image to uphold. You didn't want to possibly tarnish it.

Callie immediately made her presence known by yelling Akechi's name, causing you to visibly cringe at the sound of her voice. You and Akechi both snatched your books out of your respective lockers as quickly as you could, so you could head to the cafeteria to get a snack before the bell rang.

Sadly for you both, Callie, Brook and Kaylee decided to join you on your trip. Well, Callie wanted to join you, Brook and Kaylee joined because Callie commanded them to.

"Soooo Akechi. What are you going to get from the cafeteria?" Callie sang, hanging onto his arm. Akechi awkwardly cleared his throat and fiddled with his tie.

"I don't think I'll be getting anything. Usually, only L/N gets a snack from the vending machines, then we head to class." His voice was tight. You could tell he was doing his best to remain calm. A part of you wanted to say something to get her to let go, but you didn't want to embarrass Akechi or even yourself. 

"If you keep snacking so much Y/N, you'll get fat." Callie teased, giggling as she continued to cling to the detective. You ignored her and pretended like she wasn't even there. "Uhh hello in there. It's rude to ignore people." You wanted to laugh. She reminded you of a popular girl from one of those terrible American high school movies. Like Mean Girls.

Kaylee and Brook were staring holes into your head, probably waiting for you to snap, but you just stayed silent.

"How's work going?" Kaylee asked before Callie could say anything more. "Have you made any friends?"

"Yeah I have actually." You responded, turning your gaze to her. You could hear Callie scoff in an offended manner as you conversated with Kaylee. "I went and got dinner with one of them on Friday. I also got to hang out with some other friends yesterday. It was a lot of fun." You giggled towards the end.

"Oh nice. What did you guys do?" Brook asked, continuing the conversation to keep Callie quiet, which you enjoyed to no end. You didn't consider yourself to be a petty person, but the look on her face as you ignored her, but talked to the others, was priceless.

"We explored Central Street in Shibuya for a while, then took a train and got lunch at that ramen place we went to earlier last week." You gushed, nearly drooling over the thought of eating that ramen again.

"Sounds like you had a good time." Akechi chuckled forcefully, looking like he's had enough. An idea popped into your head as you looked at the uncomfortable detective. 

"It was great! I hope I get to hang out with them again soon." You chirped as you sneakily pulled out your phone and typed in Akechi's name. You hoped he had his sound on as you pressed the 'call' button.

A chiming sound erupted from his breast pocket, causing him to reach for his phone and look at who was calling him. You both made eye contact for a split second before he realized what you were doing.

"Oh! Pardon me. I need to take this. I'll see you in class L/N." He said as he 'answered' the phone call and walked off, leaving you to deal with the girls. Callie looked disappointed as Akechi disappeared around a corner. You mentally patted yourself on the back for coming up with that plan.

The rest of your time with the girls was tense and awkward. Now that Akechi was gone, Kaylee and Brook didn't feel the need to keep a conversation going. At least Akechi was able to relax.

Callie decided to make some offhanded remarks about what you chose as a snack today, saying that they were fatty or unhealthy or something. You weren't listening. You bought two nikumaki onigiri, which were just balls of rice wrapped in beef slices. You thought they looked tasty enough.

Finally, you parted ways with the other 'transfer' students and made your way to class. As you entered, Akechi smiled over at you, causing you to smile in response. 

You audibly groaned as you sat in your chair, your knees and back protested the entire way down. The sound of Akechi chuckling at your dramatic little scene made you want to die. _I'm glad my pain is so amusing to you, sir._

**Lunch**

As your fourth period class wrapped up, you slowly packed your things, preparing yourself for an agonizing amount of movement you had to do in order to stand and walk to the library.

The bell rang, causing your peers to rush out of the room and flood the hallways. You slowly forced yourself to your feet, your knees popped as you straightened your legs. After taking a deep breath, you shuffled out of the classroom. You couldn't wait until you could get home and take a mildly scalding bath and let your body relax. 

"Hello there, Grandma." Akechi remarked as he caught up to you while leaving the classroom. You furrowed your eyebrows and gave him a look that said, "What the fuck," until you realized why he said that. You were hunched over, barely picking your feet up off of the ground and had a hand on the wall in order to steady yourself as you walked.

"Do your dear old Grammy a favor and carry her to the library, will you?" You joked before squeezing your eyes shut and forcing your back to straighten. A soft, high pitched squeak escaped your throat.

"Have you taken any painkillers today?" Akechi asked, visibly frowning. His gaze was intense and he looked a bit worried about you.

You just sighed and shook your head. You haven't thought about buying any kind of medication since you've only been in this world for a week. You didn't think you'd need any so soon.

The climb up the stairs to the second floor of the library was an absolute nightmare. You were beginning to worry that you actually hurt yourself because of how you slept. _Did I pull a muscle or something? Should I go to a doctor?_

Once you finally came face to face with your table, you hesitated before sitting down. You knew it was going to hurt like hell.

Akechi sighed from his spot on the opposite side of the table, causing you to look over at him. You watched as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and reached into it. He took out a small baggie with two small, white pills sitting inside of it. He opened it and took one of the pills out.

You just stared at him in confusion as he held out his hand for you to take the pill.

"Vicodin." Was all he said, not bothering to explain. _Isn't this illegal? Vicodin is a prescribed painkiller, right?_ "Do you have a better solution to get rid of your pain?" He asked, still patiently holding his hand out. 

You slowly reached over and took the pill from his palm, then reached into your school bag for your water bottle. Once you downed the pill with the help of some water, you sat in the chair in front of you, groaning as your bottom made contact with the hard, cold wood.

"Thank you." You mumbled as you gave Akechi his lunch box. A child-like smile lit up Akechi's face as he looked at the octopus shaped sausages. You couldn't help but smile too. "I didn't have much energy to make anything special. Today's lunch is sesame noodles with leftover chicken and broccoli, octopus sausages, an omelet and rice. Not my most creative meal." You sighed at the end, feeling overly exhausted.

Akechi paid no mind to your tiredness as he lifted some of the noodles and took a bite, then he stuffed one of the mini sausages into his mouth. "Not creative, yet it certainly is tasty." He said after he swallowed. A soft smile ghosted your face as you began eating your lunch as well.

By the time you were done, the Vicodin had kicked in, making you feel a million times better. Akechi seemed to notice your brightening mood because he smiled over at you.

"Looks like someone is feeling better." He said, watching as you slipped the bento boxes back into your bag.

"Yes! Much better! Thank you Akechi." You beamed, gently stretching your arms as you sat back in your chair.

"Don't mention it. To anyone. I'd rather not have my reputation ruined because I illegally gave you one of my prescribed pills." He said seriously, face neutral. Your giggling only made him frown.

"Sorry. I won't tell anyone, but why do you take Vicodin? Are you okay?" You asked as you pulled out your homework. 

"Being a detective is quite taxing. Somedays I need something a little stronger than common over the counter painkillers to survive the day." He sighed, not going into very much detail before he continued speaking. "Don't worry though. I only take a pill or two once a week. I'm not looking to get addicted."

"Oh that makes sense." You said softly, though you had a sneaking suspicion that you knew what he actually used those for. 

For the rest of your lunch time, you both sat quietly, doing your homework. In moments like these, you easily forgot that the man sitting across from you was a villain from a popular video game.

As you were preparing to leave the library once the bell had rang, Akechi spoke up. "By the way, it seems like I'll have Wednesday off from work." It took your brain a moment to process what he said.

"Really?" You asked, smiling up at him. You hadn't planned what you wanted to teach him yet. Knowing yourself, you'd probably improvise.

He nodded. "I know you work on weekdays, but I won't be getting another day off for a while."

"It's fine! We'll work with what we can get." You giggled, ignoring the way he was staring at you. "Do you have any food at your apartment? Or are we going to have to go shopping?" 

"Are we going to be cooking an actual meal? I assumed we would just be doing basics." He sounded a bit nervous. _He really can't cook, can he?_

"We're going to make an actual meal using the basics. Relax. I'll be helping the entire time." You reassured, though, he still didn't look too confident. "I'll come up with a simple recipe, okay? Then perhaps someday in the future, once you're more comfortable with your cooking skills, we can make something more complex." That last part made him sigh. You rolled your eyes. "You'll thank me someday." You chuckled while covering your mouth with your hand.

"If I burn my apartment complex down, you'll be paying for the damages." He joked, a smile twitching at his lips as you walked into the main school building.

**Afterschool**

**Warning: Kamoshida being creepy again.**

You rushed up the steps into Shujin Academy, being late by about 10 minutes thanks to a pushy saleswoman trying to sell you some stinky perfume.

"So you showed up after all." A rotten voice said as you entered the school. Kamoshida was waiting to ambush you once again.

"K-kamoshida! I'm so sorry I'm late." You panted, out of breath from practically sprinting to the school. Your body was beginning to ache again. The Vicodin seemed to be wearing off.

"I hope you have a good excuse." He said, staring directly at the exposed skin of your thighs. You swallowed hard, knowing that you'd get in trouble if you told him the truth, so you used the oldest excuse in the book.

"It's kind of gross." You began, mumbling your words, doing your best to seem embarrassed.

"Oh?" The tone of his voice told you that his mind was in the gutter.

"I-it's that time of the month for me sir, and I ran out of... you know... tampons... so I had to-" You were cut off by Kamoshida before you could finish your sentence.

"Alright alright. I understand. Let's get you to class." He motioned for you to start walking. Of course, he wanted to walk slightly behind you.

He was walking so close to you that your legs would brush every time you took a step. You could feel his hand graze your ass every once and a while. You prayed that you wouldn't begin having another panic attack. 

A flash of white entered your vision and disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. _Morgana? Is he watching me?_ You thought, trying to calm your panicking nerves. Kamoshida didn't seem to notice the cat.

Kamoshida stopped you before you could enter your classroom. "Have you thought about me driving you here? It's not a problem, really." His voice made you want to vomit, but before you could respond, a high pitched meow came from the other side of the hallway, catching Kamoshida's attention. "That damn cat. It's been roaming the school for a week now." 

Morgana meowed loudly again, seemingly taunting the perverted volleyball coach. "Why don't you stop by the P.E. Faculty office when you're done? We can continue this discussion then." He said and turned towards the cat who was yowling. A few other teachers looked out of their rooms to yell at the cat.

 _The next time you come over, I'll have some fatty tuna just for you._ You watched Morgana dash past Kamoshida and down the stairs before you entered your classroom.

**Warning end.**

"Sorry I'm late everyone! Some pushy saleswoman was trying to sell me a perfume that smelled like my Grandmother." You joked, a few of the students chuckled.

"Was that a cat outside?" A black haired student asked.

"Yup. Apparently, this school has a cat problem?" You questioned as you set your stuff down and got to work helping the students.

Once the bell rang, you excused yourself from the class, feeling the need to lock yourself in the restroom for a few minutes to pull yourself together. Kamoshida had said that he wanted you to stop by the P.E. Faculty office when you were done. You needed to figure out an excuse quickly so you wouldn't have to go.

Your thoughts were interrupted by someone running into you as you rounded a corner, a squeaky, high-pitched yelp ripped through your throat. You grunted as your bottom met the hardwood floor.

"Ouch." You groaned as you rubbed your tailbone.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I should've paid more attention to where I was going!" A familiar feminine voice said, causing you to look up. _Haru._ She was also sitting on the floor.

"No I'm sorry. I shouldn't be rushing like that." You chuckled through the pain of having possibly shattered your tailbone. Slowly, you both stood back up.

You were kind of surprised that it took you so long to meet her, considering you work at Shujin. Now the only members you haven't met are Yusuke and Futaba, but you had a feeling that you wouldn't be meeting them for a long time. 

"Oh! Are you the English tutor?" She asked, her voice was so soft, you couldn't help but smile at her.

"That's correct. I'm Y/N L/N. It's a pleasure to meet you." You did a little bow as you introduced yourself.

"I'm Haru Okumura. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." She bowed back to you, a smile making its way onto her lips. You took a moment to glance at the clock on the wall.

"Shoot. I can't be late again. I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but I need to hurry or I'll be late for todays tutoring session." You groaned slightly. Haru giggled shyly in response.

"It's alright. See you around." She said and gave a little wave before you both walked away from each other.

You quickly scurried to the restroom, hoping you wouldn't get interrupted on your way back.

During your afterschool tutoring time, a dull ache began to form behind your eyes. As the hour progressed, it gradually got worse, to the point of where it felt like someone was stabbing your brain with needles. 

By the time your hour had finally come to an end, you were struggling to stand, feeling like you were on the verge of throwing up. Once the last student left your room, you collapsed into one of the chairs, laying your head against the desk, letting the cold surface calm your mind.

Slowly, you lifted your phone, hoping that you could text Makoto so she could help you home, but what you saw on your lock screen made your blood run cold. _That eye._ That red Metaverse eye icon was covering your entire screen. Your head felt like it was about to burst as the world slowed around you. Reality blurred and you slipped in and out of consciousness as the chair under you became plush and soft. The desk beneath your head turned a reddish brown color. Your classroom was a saferoom.

You squeezed your eyes shut and hoped that you had just passed out and were dreaming. You don't think your fragile sanity could handle it if you were truly in Kamoshida's palace. 

Keeping your eyes shut, you lifted your head off of the table, preparing yourself for the worst. A dry chuckle scratched at your throat as you squinted your eyes, opening them just enough to see the room around you. You were definitely in Kamoshida's palace.

You lifted your phone once more, but that red screen wouldn't budge, rendering your phone useless. You'd have to escape without it. A part of you prayed that you'd run into the Phantom Thieves, but at the same time, you hoped you could get out on your own. At least your headache had dissipated.

 _My gun!_ Your mind screamed as you searched the room for your school bag. You nearly cried when you saw it sitting a few feet away from you. Quickly, you threw yourself at the black bag that held your books and shoved your hand in, fishing around for your weapon. 

_Ah ha!_ You pulled the pistol from your bag and held it in a death grip. You released the magazine, learning that instead of bb's, it shot actual bullets here in the Metaverse. It held 6 shots. You could work with that.

You did your best to keep yourself from panicking. _Worst case scenario, I die. Best case, I get out just fine._ You knew the layout of the palace fairly well.

Gently, you shakily leaned against the door that led to the hallway outside, listening for footsteps or any possible danger. Once you deemed it 'safe' you cracked the door open and peaked out. It looked like you were in the East Building Annex, in the saferoom before the chapel or worship area. You were in deep. 

Turning to your left, you quietly climbed the stairs that led to the East Building 3rd Floor. _You can do this Y/N._ You tried to encourage yourself as you made your way to the double doors, gun held to your chest. If you remembered correctly, on the other side of the doors was a barrier. If it was still up, then you might have to find a different way out.

You pressed your ear to the door and heard nothing, so you cracked the door open. _What luck._ The barrier was down, meaning the Thieves have already come through here. _They're quick._ It wouldn't take much longer until they had a route to the treasure.

The sound of metal stomping against the ground made you freeze in the doorway. _A shadow._ You had to be careful. You thanked your body for inheriting your mothers short genes, meaning it would be easier for you to sneak around.

You watched as the creature clad in silver armor rounded the corner, then stopped and looked around, before it began moving again. Swiftly, you slithered forwards, staying behind it and out of its view. The sound of your heart drumming in your ears nearly drowned out the sound of the shadows footsteps. As it went around another corner, you made a mad dash to the staircase, which was right in front of you.

You slid down the handrail and landed on the ground of the second floor. _One more floor._ The clanking of footsteps echoed around the walls once more, causing your breath to catch in your throat. Creeping forwards, you peaked around a corner, a strong looking shadow was patrolling the floor. Its pattern was weird and random. _Those idiots raised the threat level extremely high, didn't they?_ You groaned internally as you waited for an opening to slip past it.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. How did you escape, my little mouse?" A distorted voice said, causing you to snap your head to the side to face the man who had spoken. _How did he-_ Your thought was cut off thanks to the hilt of a sword being smashed into your temple.

**???. ???. ???**

"That's right." You breathed as the memories settled into your mind. Kamoshida managed to sneak up on you and knocked you out. That explained your headache.

A searing pain pulsed through your right arm as you looked down at it. You had to be careful or you could bleed out. Reaching over to your left arm, you dabbed your wrist and hand in order to lubricate it with the blood from your right wrist. 

If you hadn't been so panicked, you would probably be gagging because of what you were doing. You felt like you were trapped in a Saw movie.

Finally, you managed to pull your left hand from its constraint. Now you had to figure out how to get your feet free.

Try as you might, you couldn't pull your feet out of the iron cuffs. You were out of breath and trembling, on the verge of a panic attack. The sound of multiple pairs of heavy footsteps coming down the hallway was making it worse. 

Quickly, you leaned forwards and felt around the area in front of you. Your hand brushed against a familiar feeling fabric. _My bag._ _They must've thought I wouldn't be able to get my hands free._ To no one's surprise, your gun wasn't in your bag, but a handful of bobby pins were. You've never picked a lock before, but you didn't have any other choice.

Taking two bobby pins, you tried to think of how a lock works. _Okay Y/N. You're an honor student for a reason. Your smarts and critical thinking skills haven't failed you yet. So how the fuck does a lock work?_ You did your best to ignore the footsteps as you envisioned a padlock. Thanks to the Elder Scrolls games, you had an idea of what to do. 

_Okay, so if those games are realistic when it comes to lock picking, the padlock will have around 5 pin tumblers or more. Each pin needs to be lifted in a certain order and it'll make a clicking sound when it's lifted correctly._

You had no idea how to position the bobby pins, so you just stuck them in and hoped for the best. However, you couldn't seem to move the bobby pins around due to their size, so you pulled the top one out and pulled it apart. Sticking one of the ends back in, you got to work. 

This seemed to work better, you could feel the pin tumblers moving as you pressed the one end of the bobby pin upwards. Suddenly, you heard a click and the bottom bobby pin moved a bit. _Success._ You needed to do that a few more times before the lock would open.

As you were getting to the last pin, the footsteps outside stopped at your door. An icy chill slithered through your blood stream, causing you to quicken your movements in an attempt to get the first lock open. 

Finally, a soft clicking sound echoed through the room you were in and the iron cuff loosened due to the lock popping open. _Holy shit._

"I thought our Kings pet was killed a few days ago along with his Princess when that band of thieves showed up." A deep voice said from outside your room. You wanted to stop and listen to what they were saying, but you knew you couldn't. Time was of the essence.

You reached around to the padlock that kept your left ankle in place and got to work. As you fiddled with the lock, you could hear bits and pieces of the shadows conversation.

"At least he seems to be in a better mood now that she's back though." Another shadow said.

You would've thought that the shadows gossiping was comedic if you weren't struggling to open the lock because of your bloody hands. The bobby pins kept slipping out of your grasp, which made you have to start over multiple times. 

"Hopefully our King gets here soon. I don't want to wait around here any longer. What if those thieves come back?" _Shit. Kamoshida is on his way?_

Finally, a satisfying click resounded through the room and you were up on your feet in an instant. You stumbled to the door and looked for something to jam it with. Your eyes landed on a chair that sat in front of the makeup vanity. _Perfect._

You lifted the chair and hooked it underneath the doorknob. It wouldn't give much resistance, but every second mattered.

"King Kamoshida! Your pet awaits you." The shadow said, announcing Kamoshida's arrival. Anxiety clawed at your heart as you searched for both an exit and your clothes. You tripped over a pile of soft fabric, only to realize that your school uniform had been carelessly thrown to the side when you were stripped. 

The sound of the door trying to be opened made you abandon everything except your skirt and peacoat. You'd survive without your shoes or undershirt. Pulling your phone out, the red Metaverse icon shed a bit more light on the room.

"Hey! What's going on?" A shadow yelled as it slammed against the door. You yelped as the wooden chair made a crunching sound, signifying that one more slam would shatter it.

Looking around, your eyes landed on a large bookcase with a closed vent sitting at the top. _Oh thank god._ Your body protested as you hauled yourself up the bookcase. The sound of Kamoshida yelling at the shadows drowned out the pained, choked sobs that escaped your lips. 

When you reached the top, you immediately pulled at the vent cover. It wouldn't budge. The sound of a chair shattering into a million splinters and a heavy crash made you nearly lose your balance.

You were too slow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEHAW GAMERS. HERE WE GO.


	10. The Great Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escaping Kamoshida's palace just couldn't be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got so dark so fast. Oh god. Typed this at superspeed lmao
> 
> Could I have just combined this chapter with the last chapter? Yes. Should I have? Yes. Oh well. It's too late now.
> 
> I had to rewrite this chapter multiple times hhhh ;; The original ending was very different lmao

**???. ???. ???**

As the shadow crashed into the room, you pushed yourself against the corner of the room, still sitting on the top of the bookcase. Your back was pressed harshly into the stone wall, knees up and clutching your bag to your chest.

"Where the hell is she?!" Shadow Kamoshida yelled as he stomped over to the place you used to be bound and took one of the cuffs in his hands. He examined the blood that coated it. The bobby pins you used to release your ankles were still inside the left padlock. "How could you let something like this happen?! Who was supposed to be guarding her door?!" Kamoshida throwing a temper tantrum like a child wasn't something you thought you'd ever see in your life.

His eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of you. By a stroke of dumb luck, thanks to the way the door opened, the corner you were in was pitch black. The light flooding in only illuminated the vanity and the bed, leaving you and a good chunk of the bookcase shrouded in darkness. You thought it was a poor design choice, but you definitely wouldn't be complaining.

You pressed your hand against your mouth, doing your best to muffle the rapid, ragged breaths you were taking. Any sound would alert them of your presence.

"I have no idea sir. When we arrived, the door was unguarded." One of the shadows tried to explain, only to receive a pissed off scoff from Kamoshida.

"Why didn't you look inside to check on her?!" He snarled, face twisting into something you would be seeing in your nightmares for years to come. Kamoshida picked up a broken chair leg and hurled it at the shadow. "I'm surrounded by idiots. Hunt her down and find her. Don't let my precious pet escape. I can't lose her again." His voice was low and gravelly. The sound made your skin crawl.

The two shadows who were standing in the room rushed out, quickly followed by Kamoshida.

You waited a moment before trying to pry the vent cover off its hinges again. No matter how hard you pulled, it wouldn't move. You only ended up making your fingers bleed. _Shit._ The only way out was through the door.

Slowly, quietly, you climbed down the massive bookcase. You carefully approached the open door and peaked through. No one was around. You took this moment of privacy to put your undershirt and stockings on. You thought it would be easier to sneak around if you kept your shoes off. The fabric of your long socks would muffle the sound of your feet hitting the ground.

As you were putting on your clothes, you got a good look at your wrists. You immediately dry heaved, feeling the need to empty the contents of your stomach. Flesh was dangling from your right wrist and you could see bone. Normally, gore like this didn't bother you, but the fact that it was your own wrist that you were looking at made you nearly faint. Taking a few deep breaths, you steadied your nerves as you finished pulling up your stocking. _I'm going to have to go to a hospital when I get out._ You had no idea how you were going to explain your injuries. You just prayed that you wouldn't bleed out before you could escape.

Before you left, you picked up one of the broken chair legs as a means of a weapon. It was frail, but you didn't have any other way to protect yourself.

Upon leaving the room, you noticed that you had no idea where you were. Your room was situated at the end of a long hallway that you don't think was in the original Persona 5 game. Pictures of 'you' decorated the walls of the hallway. In all of them, you were wearing large mouse ears, a grey lacy bra and black boxer briefs that had a pink tail attached at the back. Your legs were covered by black thigh highs. Your nose was painted grey and you had white whiskers painted on your cheeks. Your eyelids were covered in a dramatic smoky black eyeshadow. In most of the paintings, you were doe eyed and innocent looking, Kamoshida loomed above you, holding a leash that was attached to a collar around your neck. In about half of them, you were kneeling on your hands and knees. If you didn't already know that was you, you would've never been able to tell who it was.

You crept forwards, praying that there wasn't a shadow waiting for you at the end of the hall. At the end of the hallway was a large golden door. It was thick and made of what you assumed to be actual gold. You tried pressing your ear to it to listen for footsteps or talking, but you couldn't hear anything past it due to its size. _Fuck._

The glorious door was extremely heavy. Your calf muscles screamed as you used all of your weight to open the door enough for you to sneak through.

As you slipped through the crack you made, you noticed a large name plate on the door that said "Y/N Kamoshida." His horrific obsession with you made your body tremble. Your consciousness faded for a moment as your ruined sanity tried to take in this information. _Maybe I should just let Akechi kill him._ You knew you shouldn't, but it was extremely tempting.

You slapped your face with your hands, trying to keep yourself from fully passing out. You couldn't let yourself be weak. You had to get out. 

Sadly, you had no idea where you were, so you decided to follow your gut and hoped it would lead you to the exit. You turned right as you exited the door, and sprinted down the corridor on the balls of your feet, not letting your heels touch the ground. 

Room, after room, after room. You were quickly getting lost. The part that surprised you the most was that you hadn't encountered any shadows. No matter where you turned, nothing looked familiar. You wished you had a map.

You weren't sure how long you had been running around, the Metanav icon was still clogging up your phone screen, keeping you from seeing the time. At one point, you considered just jumping out a window and hoping for the best in order to get out, but you weren't sure you would survive a three story drop onto pavement. That would be your last resort. 

If it wasn't for your water bottle, you wouldn't have been able to go for as long as you have been. You did your best to conserve the little water you had remaining.

Finally. Finally, you reached a familiar area, the worship area. You were on the opposite side of the saferoom, meaning you had to cross a big open area in order to get to the exit.

Glancing around, you took a deep breath and clutched your bag before sprinting forwards, towards the saferoom. Your feet silently tapped against the red carpet that covered the cobblestone floor as you ran.

"Halt!" A voice bellowed in front of you. A shadow clad in golden armor appeared only a few feet in front of you. 

You quickly skidded to a stop and spun around, hoping to run back the way you came, but another shadow appeared. Within a matter of seconds, you were surrounded. _No..._ Your breathing became uncontrollable as the shadows in front of you separated in order to allow shadow Kamoshida through.

"You're quite the slippery little girl, aren't you?" He teased as he walked closer to you. You just bit your tongue to keep yourself quiet. "My my. Your poor, beautiful wrists. You did a number on yourself, didn't you?" He was now looming over you.

Your exhaustion finally caught up with you. Your legs gave out and you fell to your knees. Your arms were barely able to keep you from completely collapsing. You couldn't stop shaking.

"Aw. It's alright my dear mouse. Daddy will fix you up in no time." You involuntarily gagged at his words. "How disrespectful." He slammed his bare foot into your chest, causing the air to rush out of your lungs. You slid backwards due to the power behind his kick.

"Ack!" Something iron flavored gargled at the back of your throat as you cried out. You wheezed, trying to suck the air back into your lungs. _This is it. This is how I fucking die._

"It looks like I'm going to have to punish you until you learn some manners." He practically purred before walking over to you and stomping his foot down onto your ribs. You could feel them bend and snap under his weight. You lurched forward and coughed, blood splattered onto Kamoshida's leg and the floor.

At this point, you were giving up. Your mind couldn't focus on anything except the excruciating pain you were feeling. _This is ridiculous._ In a bout of insanity, you chuckled. Blood spilled from your lips and dripped down your chin. You were staring upwards and into the dark ceiling, allowing the darkness to swallow your vision. You could feel your heart racing, but at the same time, you felt so calm.

**_This truly is ridiculous, isn't it?_ **

_Who...?_

_**You've been brought into a world, with no explanation as to why, and no way to get home** _ _**.** _

_Lavenza? No..._

**_You've been forced to play a role in a game you were never supposed to be a part of._ **

**_And now, here you are. Dying on the floor at the hands of a man you were never supposed to encounter._ **

_Please... Help me..._

**_Your wish is my command._**

All other pain was ignored as your mind began to feel like it was splitting. A headache surged through your skull, causing you to scream. 

**_We will not allow such a pathetic worm to take us down. We won't give up now!_**

**_I am thou, thou art I..._ **

Kamoshida and the other shadows immediately stepped back as you began writhing in pain on the ground. "Not you too..." He growled while taking cover behind a group of shadows.

**_Together, we will fight to survive. Until the bitter end!_ **

**_Once the prey, now the predator. The howl of the wolf will guide your spirit!_ **

A black wolf skull mask burst onto your face in a flurry of blue flames. Slowly, you got to your feet, energy flowing through you like you've never felt before. You've never felt so powerful.

"Come to me.... Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis!" You cried, ripping the mask off of your face. Blood gushed from the place where your mask sat and rushed down your face. A near unhinged smirk sat on your lips.

Blue flames swirled around you as your persona made her appearance behind you. A white wolf skull, similar to your mask, adorned her head, covering her face. She wore a long, flowing white dress that was pulled tight around her stomach to accentuate her figure. In her hands sat an ebony hunting bow with an arrow cocked and ready to fire. Artemis was sat upon a large, white stag, whose horns were decorated with golden jewelry. 

Your outfit changed into a dark grey one piece with two fabric tails, with purple highlights. A reflective golden material covered your breasts and accented your wrists, legs, shoulders and neck. Small golden wings fluttered gently around the collar of your outfit. Butterfly-like sparkles were sprinkled on your wrists and boots. The boots reached your thighs and were wrapped with golden vines. A bow sat on the outside of each boot.

(Did I spend way too much time designing an outfit? Yes I did. Am I happy with it? Not really. I'll go back and make edits later lmao. Human model base by scarlett-knight on DA! Outfit and design by me :D **[Click me!](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743039330985050182/779313757045129216/fanfic_metaverse_thieves_outfit.png)** Someday I'll get around to drawing our wonderful persona.)

A needle-like weapon flashed its way into your open palm as you held your hand out in front of you. A long, thin string flowed around you. A simple silver bow and quiver full of arrows were hooked behind your back, at your waist.

As you connected to your persona, you learned her skill set. Her starting skills were the ice skill Bufu, the bless skill Kouha, and the support skill Sukukaja. If you were understanding her power correctly, you were a speedy glass cannon, which excited you to no end.

"Now... What were you saying? About needing to be punished until you learned some manners?" You chuckled and raised your left hand, silently commanding your persona to blast the shadows into the next dimension with a combination of ice and light.

The temperature in the room dropped as your persona covered it in ice. The glossy wooden benches that once sat in front of the statue of Kamoshida were shattered, many of them flew off the ground and were frozen midair, thanks to Artemis. The shadows that once surrounded you disappeared in a flash of light when Artemis used a barrage of Kauha. All that remained was Kamoshida.

"P-please! Y-you can't kill me!" He pleaded as you approached him, sewing needle sword raised and pointed directly at him.

"You are correct. Your life is not mine to take. However, if you ever approach me in the real world again, I will come back here and destroy everything." You said, voice unwavering. You pressed the tip of the needle into his throat as you spoke again. "That includes you." 

You were bluffing of course, but he clearly didn't know that. "Yes. Yes. I understand. Please get out." He cried, tears streaming down his face. You cringed at the sight of him.

"Disgusting." You hissed as you turned your back to him and made your way to the saferoom you had started in. 

Once you entered, you were finally able to take a good look at yourself. _God. I look like a female anime antagonist or something._ You couldn't complain too much though. You thought the outfit was kind of flattering. 

Gently, you removed your mask and sat down. Your body throbbed in pain, but it wasn't as bad as before. You assumed that your persona was taking some of the pain away. _Thank you._

You turned the mask in your hands, inspecting it. _I'm going to have to be careful._ You slowly traced the teeth of the mask with your fingers.

You finished the rest of your water and exited the room, much more confident in yourself now. You just wished you had your gun. A guilty feeling rose in your chest, hopefully you'd be able to find it.

Needle in hand, you began sprinting your way out of the palace, taking on any shadow that dared cross your path. You even managed to defeat a few of them before they were able to reveal their true forms by jamming your sword in between the cracks in their armor, causing them to fall apart.

Following Joker's fantastic example, you smashed every vase, statue head, and barrel in sight. It took a while, but you eventually managed to find a single Bead, meaning you could heal yourself to full. You figured you would use it once you got to the exit so that you didn't waste it.

Suddenly, you were face to face with a powerful looking shadow. A red aura radiated from its golden armored body. It was standing in front of a plain looking door. _What could you be guarding?_

Despite your exhaustion, common sense and pain, you engaged it in battle. The shadow transformed into an Archangel. Your bless skill would do nothing to it, though, its bless skills would do nothing to you. You were low on SP, so you focused on keeping your speed at its max and stabbing it with your needle.

The Archangel was easily able to keep up with you when it came to speed. There were multiple times where its sword would barely miss impaling you, only slightly cutting into your skin.

 _Shit._ You had been too overconfident. You quickly rolled out of the way as it sent a Vajra Blast your way. You could feel the breeze the attack created as you barely got out of the way in time.

Artemis turned her head towards you and just stared for a second.

"What?" You asked, until it clicked and she disappeared. Your sword was literally a needle and thread. _Use the thread dumbass._ You launched yourself at the shadow, a plan forming in your mind.

You called your persona, commanding her to use Bufu in order to distract the shadow so you could tie the end of the thread to something heavy. 

It worked, the Archangel was distracted by the bluff attack just long enough for you to tie the thread to a bench that was attached to the floor. Another poor design choice in your opinion, but that was Kamoshida's problem.

Again, you launched yourself at the shadow, dancing out of the way of its sword, doing your best to not get hit. Of course, you weren't perfect. Your throbbing ankles suddenly gave out, and you found yourself at the mercy of the shadow you had challenged.

"Hahaha. How pathetic. Prepare to meet your end!" It cried as it raised its sword over its head. You took a deep breath and watched as the shadow brought its sword down to finish you off.

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

The sword was inches above your head when you rolled backwards and pulled your needle as hard as you could. The thread that you had maneuvered around the shadow tightened and forced it to its knees. With no hesitation, you threw your weapon as hard as you could like a javelin.

It impaled the Archangel in the face, black goo gushed from the wound before it crumpled to the floor and disappeared.

"Fuck me." You groaned, letting yourself fall onto the ground in a pile of bloody limbs. You could practically hear your persona calling you a dumbass for what you just did. You felt like your arms were covered in paper cuts.

Slowly, you got to your feet and used your needle like a cane in order to walk. You pulled the door open and nearly tripped over yourself. _An armory?_

Swords, lances, battle axes, shields and suits of armor lined the walls and cluttered the room. You perused the aisles of unused weapons like you were in a grocery store and unsure of where the item you were looking for was located. There was even what looked like to be horse armor hanging on one of the back corners of the room.

At the back was a large tablet that was covered in broken swords and other accessories. You gently moved some of the items out of the way, looking for anything that could be useful in your endeavor. 

Then you spotted it. Underneath a shield that was riddled with bullet holes, was your gun. Lifting it, you noticed that whoever tried to use it absolutely ruined it. The trigger was stuck and there looked to be a bullet trapped in the chamber. _My poor baby..._

You stuffed it in your bag, the least you could do was give it a proper burial, or try to fix it.

Thanks to your persona being able to cast a speed up support skill, you made it to the front entrance in no time. You finally decided to test out your new bow by docking an arrow and letting it fly at one of the windows that led outside. The glass shattered on impact, giving you an escape route.

Taking out the Bead, you crushed it in your hand. The healing effect was instant. You could feel your ribs move back into place and your wounds close. You kind of thought it would hurt to have your injuries reversed so quickly, but it was surprisingly soothing. It only took a few seconds until you were completely healed.

Without looking back, you jumped through the window and sprinted towards the alleyway that was situated in front of Shujin. Slowly, the world swirled around you and you were back in the real world.

It was dark and so cold. You pulled out your phone and checked the time. It was 11:09 P.M. You've been in Kamoshida's palace for around 6 hours. _Jesus._ You quickly slipped your shoes back on.

**Late Night**

You had a couple of unread text messages. Kasumi had messaged you twice. You'd respond to her once you were in bed. For now, you just wanted to go home and lay down. You've had enough for today.

The station was deathly quiet while you walked through it. There wasn't a soul in sight. The sound of your shoes tapping against the tile flooring echoed throughout the hallways. It was unnerving to say the least.

The platform for the subway to Shibuya was completely empty when you arrived. 

"L/N?" A voice suddenly said beside you. You could feel your heart freeze.

A high pitched shriek left your throat. In a panic, you dropped your phone. Turning quickly, you faced the person, ghost or spirit who had spoken.

"Akechi?!" You yelled, becoming angry. Your exhaustion was becoming overwhelming. Akechi slapped a hand over his mouth and his shoulders quivered as he tried not to laugh at your frightened state.

"I-I'm so sorry." His voice shook as he tried to control himself. You scoffed and leaned down to pick up your phone. Thankfully, there weren't any cracks, just dust and dirt.

"How did you sneak up on me? It's so quiet in the station." You hadn't heard him at all. It was like he just appeared beside you.

He was still laughing. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. What are you doing here so late?" He asked, doing his signature little head tilt.

 _Ah shit._ "I just got done doing some private tutoring with one of the Shujin first years. Though, I think we lost track of time gossiping." You chuckled before you gave him a suspicious look. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I just got done with work. I have to transfer lines here." He explained, though, you couldn't tell if he was lying or not.

"Do you normally work this late?" You questioned, feeling kind of bad for him if he really wasn't lying to you. He looked away from you as he began speaking.

"Yes. Often times, I have to stay later, or even finish my work when I get home." He said, staring at the oncoming train.

"Goodness. Where do you find the time to do your homework and study?" _Does he ever actually sleep?_

"During lunch mostly. I also usually get Sunday's off so I spend all of my free time studying." He sighed as the train came to a stop in front of you. He finally glanced at you before you both walked onto the subway.

Once you both got situated on the subway, your stomach growled. "Oh god." You groaned, looking down at your tummy. Akechi chuckled beside you.

"When was the last time you ate?" He asked, smiling at you softly.

"Uhh. On the train ride to Shujin afterschool." You sighed, slouching in your chair. All of the restaurants were most likely closed, meaning you'd have to cook.

"I feel that. I haven't eaten in a while either." He sighed back, letting himself show how tired he was. "Everything is closed this time of night." _Thought so._

"Wanna come over? I'll cook something quick." You chuckled half-heartedly. He looked over at you hesitantly. You could tell that he didn't want to interact with you longer than he had to. "Relax. You can take your plate to-go. Just bring it back in the morning."

"Deal." He gave you a big smile of relief and nodded. "Sorry. I'm just..." He trailed off, looking away again.

You just laughed. "You're tired. Like a normal human being would be at 11 at night." A small smile graced his face.

Once you entered your apartment, you both took off your shoes and set your things down. Walking over to your fridge, you opened it and looked at what you could possibly make. 

"Wow I need to go to the store." You groaned, as you stared at your empty fridge. Opening your freezer, you pulled out the rest of the shrimp that you had frozen to keep from going bad. You were going to make that tasty shrimp dish for Akechi. You also figured you'd make miso soup with tofu and green onions, as well as rice. 

After you put the shrimp under running water, cleaned the rice and started steaming it, you turned to Akechi, who had taken a seat at your kitchen table. "Okay. I'm gunna go change. I can't stand wearing this uniform any more. Make yourself comfortable. What's mine is yours blah blah blah. Dinner will be done in around 20 minutes." You smiled over at him before walking past him. You locked yourself in your room.

While taking off your clothes, you noticed your undershirt had been soaked in blood. _Oh god. Did I smell like blood? Did he see my blood stained clothes?_

Once you finished changing into your pajama's, you walked out to find Akechi sitting on your couch, watching TV. You laughed a bit, causing him to look over at you.

"You know, you're the first person to sit on that couch and watch that TV." You chuckled as you walked back into your kitchen to start the miso soup.

"What really?" He asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Mhm. I usually spend all of my free time studying, or cooking." You hummed, glancing over at him and smiling before turning your attention back to the food in front of you.

Before long, you had everything cooked. "Finished!" You cheered, looking at the glorious food you had made. It wasn't much, but you were excited to eat. As you were pulling some plates out of a cupboard, Akechi spoke.

"I've changed my mind. I'd like to eat dinner here, if that's alright with you of course." Your mouth dropped open as he stood up and made his way to your kitchen table. He took a seat and looked over at you expectantly.

"Y-yeah that's fine." You stuttered as you pulled out the plates and filled them with food. A smile twitched at his face as you placed the plate in front of him, as well as a glass of water.

"Thank you!" He chirped before he took a bite of the shrimp. His eyes lit up and he didn't hesitate to stuff another in his mouth. You couldn't help but giggle as you took your first bite.

You were pretty proud of what you had made. It tasted better than the last time you cooked this dish. You weren't sure if it was because Akechi was sitting across from you or because you had already made this once before.

"Salty, peppery, sweet, the perfect amount of lemon juice. Shrimp are easy to overcook, yet you seem to be a master at cooking them. They've got a nice crunch, but they don't have that fishy taste that undercooked shrimp tend to have, and they aren't mushy from being even slightly overcooked. Another masterpiece!" He continued eating after his little speech of praise.

Your heart rate quickened and a heavy blush covered your cheeks. You didn't expect him to be so enthusiastic this late at night. You knew he was tired, but he seemed to be genuine. 

"I'm glad you like it." You mumbled as you took a sip of water, hoping to cool your burning cheeks.

You both ate in the comfort of the noise from the TV, until a certain politician appeared on the news. 

"As Prime Minister, I will do my best to guide this country. Together, we can bring about change and make our nation thrive. I cannot do this without your help, so please, vote for me!..." Shido said before the newscaster began speaking again.

You glanced over at Akechi, he had rested his hand on his chin, his index finger hovered over his top lip. He clenched his jaw for a split moment. _He's angry._

"That man is saying a lot of pretty words." You said, looking back over to the TV. Akechi snapped his head towards to you.

"Yes he does. A lot of people seem to believe him." Akechi looked like he didn't want to talk about this.

You gave a dry chuckle before you spoke again. "He rubs me the wrong way. His words sound empty." You sighed as you looked into your miso soup. _I've never met a genuine politician._

Akechi stayed silent for a moment. "I agree. Everything he says seems too good to be true." He mumbled before he continued eating. You stopped the conversation there. You didn't want to annoy him.

Once he had finished, he sighed and sat back in his seat, looking satisfied. "I suppose learning to cook from you won't be so bad, if it means I get to make meals like that." He chuckled, watching as you finished your meal.

After you swallowed, you gave him a bright smile. "That's the spirit! This was an easy meal too, so I'm sure you'll be able to make this on your own in no time." You giggled. He just smiled back. "So, is there anything specific you want to learn how to cook? I need to know what to pick up from the store before I head to your place. Actually, I might go to the store tomorrow." You rambled a little bit.

"How about something with beef? Any vegetables will do." He suggested, looking a bit more confident about cooking, which delighted you to no end.

"Yeah okay. That sounds good." You confirmed, watching as Akechi checked his phone.

"Oh my. I didn't realize how late it was. I should get going and you should go to sleep. You look like you need it." He joked, causing you to scoff.

"It doesn't take a detective to see the bags under your eyes." You retorted as you stood from your seat and walked him to the door. He raised a hand and covered his mouth as he laughed.

"Goodnight L/N. Thank you for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, smiling down at you in contentment.

"Goodnight Akechi. Of course. Bye." You waved at him as he let himself out. 

The moment the door closed, you released a heavy breath that you didn't realize you were holding. You lied to his face, then invited him over for dinner, then told him your distrust of Shido. _Oh boy._

You didn't dwell on the thought, you were too tired, too mentally drained, too emotionally scarred. You finished the dishes, showered, then went straight to bed, hoping for a good nights rest.

As the darkness consumed your mind, a strange feeling came over you. 

**Midnight**

A loud buzzing sound startled you awake.

"Wake up inmate!" A high pitched female voice yelled.

"Our master wishes to speak to you." Another female voice said, this one was much more mellow and calm.

Opening your eyes, you saw two familiar little girls standing beside you, both holding electrified batons. 

"Now now girls. Our newest guest has been through a lot. Give her a moment to adjust." A deep, extremely familiar voice said.

You were laying on a prison bed in a certain blue room, wearing the same outfit that Ren wears when he's here. Slowly, you sat up and brought a hand up to your face. Of course, you were shackled. Caroline and Justine made their way out of the small prison cell you were sitting in. However, unlike Ren's velvet room, the door to your cell was open. 

As you stood up, 'Igor' started speaking again. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, child from the beyond. You are quite the enigma. My name is Igor and these are my wardens, Caroline and Justine." He said as you walked out of the cell. Justine and Caroline held out their batons, keeping you from getting any closer.

You looked at the two girls, then back to the long nosed man in front of you. "Enigma? How so?" You asked hesitantly, worried that if you say the wrong thing, you'll be shocked.

"Well, for one, you aren't from this world." He started. "Not only that, but unlike everyone else who was brought here, you only began having a cognitive presence in this world after you awoke to a persona." This shocked you. _I'm the only one?_

"Is that why it took us so long to meet?" You had so many questions, but you knew you needed to choose which ones you asked carefully.

"That is correct. Your presence in this world was finally solidified when you forged a contract with your persona." _Oh shit._ You could feel yourself pale as that information sunk in. 

"Does that mean I can't go back home?" You whimpered. Your bottom lip quivered and your legs trembled. You could feel the pity filled stares from Justine and Caroline.

"I am unable to answer that. I am sorry." Igor said, voice full of remorse. "I understand that this is a lot to take in, however, we are running out of time. We will meet again soon."

As you turned away, Igor spoke up one last time. "I do hope your first experience in the Metaverse hasn't scared you away. You are capable of a truly interesting power. I hope you take the chance to explore it." You glanced back at him one last time before you laid down and closed your eyes, letting sleep take over you once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS ONE OF THE CHAPTERS IVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO WRITING THE MOST. My next most anticipated chapter will be written soon ;)
> 
> Does the reader seem too overpowered? I want her to be able to dish out attacks like its nothing, but one solid hit and she's done. (I like glass cannon characters. Most of my favorite pokemon are glass cannons. If i was ever a video game character, i'd want to be a fast glass cannon. Is that weird?) I also want her to be a quick thinker, like she's kind of an idiot at times, but she's good at using her brain when she needs to lmAO ;;
> 
> We stan strong female characters in this household.
> 
> Also, I feel like i should note, reader chans weaknesses are physical, fire and curse :D


	11. Virgin Cocktails and Cooking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is straight up not having a good time. Akechi seems to want to change that.
> 
> Initially, Akechi didn't seemed too thrilled about learning how to cook, but now, he seems to have changed his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you guys figured out what Arcana the reader is? The last chapter basically gave it away ;)
> 
> I was originally going to leave the MC's hair length up to the readers imagination, but I feel like having a set hair length adds to the immersion :') I hope that's okay. MC is going to have long hair ;;
> 
> 70k words already. Jesus. Long ass chapter oops. Idk how to write short chapters >:(

**April 19th. Tuesday. Morning**

The beeping of your alarm echoed around in your mind. A part of you considered ignoring it in favor of just wasting away in your apartment.

 _My place in this world has been solidified...? Does that mean I'm stuck here? Am I now a part of the actual Persona 5 game? Mom... Dad..._ Tears sprung to your eyes. It felt like your heart had shattered into a million pieces. _How am I supposed to tell the others this? Would they even believe me?_

Finally, you reached over and turned off your alarm. For a long while, you just laid there, staring up at the ceiling. You didn't want to move. You didn't want to interact with Akechi. You just wanted to be left alone so you could fade away.

Slowly, you dragged yourself out of bed and to your bathroom. Looking in the mirror, your eyes had bags under them and your hair was a mess. No amount of combing could tame your mane. Sighing, you resigned yourself to just putting it in a messy bun and slapping some makeup on your face.

You didn't make yourself breakfast and you almost didn't make yourself lunch, but you knew Akechi would want food. Using the last of the ingredients you had in your fridge, you made a cucumber salad, fried tofu with a sesame dipping sauce, and rice. 

After getting dressed, you made your way out of your apartment. Like always, Akechi was waiting for you with a smile on his face.

"Good morning L/N. You look cute with your hair up like that." He chuckled slightly.

"Good morning. I know." You mumbled, attempting to give a sassy retort, but your monotoned voice betrayed you.

"What's wrong?" Akechi asked as he looked down at you. Your eyes immediately watered. It took all of your strength to not breakdown when he asked you that.

"I'm just..." You trailed off slightly, trying to find the right word. "Homesick." You finished, voice cracking slightly.

"Oh. I see." He said awkwardly, unsure of how to comfort you. "Whenever I'm feeling down or need a place to relax, I like to go to the Jazz Club in Kichijoji. Have you ever been there?" He asked, glancing at you from the corner of his eye as you both began walking.

"No I haven't. Is it nice?" You responded, doing your best to seem interested.

"It's a lovely little place. If you feel up to it, you should visit it. Their virgin cocktails are truly exquisite. If I remember correctly, the singer should be performing tonight too." He said, smiling softly.

You loved the singer. Her voice was so mesmerizing and comforting. "Thanks for the suggestion. I'll think about it." You smiled up at him. You've been wanting to visit the Jazz Club for a while now. Maybe taking a trip to Kichijoji would be helpful. You could use a good distraction.

As you both entered the school, Akechi was once again whisked away by the crowd of his fangirls. Technically, it was Callie who dragged him to the group, the other fangirls respectfully kept their hands to themselves.

"Hey." You said to Kaylee and Brook, who kept their distance from the dangerous detective.

"Good morning!" Kaylee chirped, seeming to be in a good mood. _Shit. I'm about to ruin her day._

"Morning." Brook said nonchalantly, giving you a small nod.

"We need to talk. Privately. Callie can come if she wants. I'm not going to bother trying anymore when it comes to her." You sighed, not being in the mood to deal with her bullshit. All three of you glanced over at her. She was too focused on Akechi to realize that you were talking.

"Understandable." Kaylee said, looking concerned.

"Come on." Brook said after you grabbed your books. You looked over at Akechi, who was already looking at you. You gave him a little wave as you turned and followed the other two girls. Brook led your little group to the roof. _Perfect._

"So what's up? Is everything okay?" Brook asked once the door was closed. Kaylee just gave you a worried look.

"Okay so. There's a good chance that we'll never go home. I spoke-" You were interrupted by both of them shouting, "WHAT?!" They both looked horrified.

"What makes you say that?!" Kaylee practically sobbed.

"Remember when I mentioned the false god last week when we met up?" They both nodded slowly. "Well, I finally got a chance to speak with him."

"Excuse me?" Brook said, absolutely flabbergasted. Kaylee just stood there with her mouth open.

"I realize that sounds crazy and this is about to sound even crazier. He came to me in my dreams last night and told me that my place in this world had finally been solidified. Your places were solidified before mine was. I'm not 100% sure, but that's what it seems like." You sighed, watching as they took in that information.

"What the fuck?" Brook breathed, looking like she was about to pass out.

"H-How come he hasn't visited me or Brook?" Kaylee asked, also looking pale. You scrunched up your eyebrows slightly. _That's a good question. They're from a different world too. Wouldn't Igor be interested in them?_

"Have you dreamed about a man named Igor?" You questioned. They both shook their heads, before you could say any more, the bell rang. "Well. I'm sure you'll meet him eventually." You sighed as you waited and made sure they wouldn't pass out.

After a few minutes you all made your ways to class. You were the last one to enter your classroom. A few students immediately started questioning why you were late and hadn't walked in with Akechi like usual. _Goodness._

**Lunch**

You and Akechi walked to the library in silence. It felt weird, considering you both usually joked around, but neither of you spoke.

Once you and Akechi sat at your favorite spot, you pulled out the lunches you made, watching as Akechi's smile visibly brightened. 

"Have you thought of anything else you'd like from me?" He asked as he opened the box, eyeing the contents inside.

"Nope. Today's lunch is fried tofu with a sesame dipping sauce, cucumber salad and rice. Sorry it's not much. I'm literally out of food." You sighed, practically ignoring his question, looking down at your meal. You could feel Akechi's eyes rest on your for a moment before you heard a soft crunch.

He stayed quiet while he chewed, then took a bite of the tofu. He hummed softly before he began speaking. "The cucumber salad is sweet and tangy. The onions in the salad aren't overpowering and the cucumbers still have a nice crunch. The tofu by itself has a firm and enticing texture. The sesame sauce pairs perfectly with it. It's 'not much,' but it's a fantastic combination." His monolog about your food had you blushing once again.

"I-I'm glad you like it." You cringed as you stuttered, but Akechi didn't look up from his lunch. _Thank God._

Your little corner of the library was filled with soft crunching as you both ate. Akechi sat back when he took his final bite and chewed thoroughly before swallowing, then put the lid back on his bento box and wrapped it in the cloth it was tied up with.

"May I asked you something?" He asked, sitting forwards as you finished your meal. Akechi always seems to finish his meal before you do. 

"Yeah? No need to ask." You said, slightly raising an eyebrow. Your mind immediately began racing a million miles a minute. _What's he going to ask? Did he see the blood yesterday? Did he know I was lying? Does he know I awoke to a persona?_

"The other American transfer students... Do you consider them friends? I must admit, I can't tell what your relationship with them is." That's not what you had been expecting him to ask. He tilted his head ever so slightly. A look of curiosity blossoming on his pretty face.

"Oh. Well..." You trailed off, considering whether you should tell him the truth or not. "We used to be friends, but we had a... falling out of sorts. Now we kind of just tolerate each other." You explained, telling him some of the truth. You were worried that if you told him the full story, that he'd go after them. 

"A falling out of sorts?" He questioned, looking a bit worried. You weren't sure if he was actually worried about you or not. It was easy to forget that Akechi has only been showing you his Princely façade. There's no telling whether he truly cared or not.

You clenched your jaw slightly. "Kaylee used to be my best friend." His eyes widened ever so slightly. "Brook and I were also pretty close. Callie however... never liked me. She would always talk badly about me behind my back. Sometimes, she'd make up awful rumors about me and spread them around school." You chuckled in self pity, remembering the things she'd come up with. "One time, when we were in middle school, she 'congratulated' me over the school intercom for giving birth over the summer break. We were young and didn't understand how our bodies worked, so everyone believed that I really did become a mother at the age of 13. All of my friends began avoiding me after that one." You couldn't look Akechi in the eyes any more. "Another time, in high school, she told everyone that I was sleeping with my English teacher. I was nearly expelled and my English teacher was almost fired. If my reputation hadn't been ruined before, it definitely had been after that. Early last year, I learned that Brook and Kaylee had also been talking shit about me behind my back. One of my only friends was a part of their 'friend group' and he would send me the messages of them talking about me in their group chat. They're all snakes." You mumbled, not wanting to look at Akechi. You wouldn't tell him how badly what they had done had effected you. He didn't need to know that information. It would probably just scare him away.

"With the way you act around them, I never would've guessed that that was what happened." He said softly. You could feel his stare burning into the side of your face.

"What they did doesn't really effect me anymore. At this point, I'm just waiting for the day where the crushing realization that nothing Callie does matters in the long run happens. She's gunna be so pissed when she gets to college and realizes that no one actually cares about her. Is that bad?" You chuckled, probably sounding extremely petty. _Maybe I really am a petty person._ You really didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"I don't think so. She'll eventually get what's coming to her. I truly believe that karma exists." He responded, voice nothing but a whisper. _And I took it too far._

"I just hope she lives long enough to get what she deserves. Everyday we step onto those subways, I always think that it'll be our last day." You sighed, finally glancing at Akechi, who had a strangely neutral face.

"You don't think death is what she deserves? From the sound of it, she was horrible to you. Made your life hell." His face was slowly twisting into one of confusion.

"No. I want her to live long enough to endure the hell she put me through. It's a lot more satisfying that way. I don't want her being given the easy way out." You said, slightly cringing. "Wow I'm a petty person." _Please don't kill her. I hate her, but that'll just make things more complicated. You're welcome to give her a nice smack across the face though._

"Oh I see. That makes sense. And yes. You are a petty person." He joked, chuckling softly. You scoffed, rolling your eyes. _Crisis averted? Maybe?_

"By the way, were you just casually trying to get me to admit that I would consider killing her or wishing her harm? 'You don't think death is what she deserves'? That's quite the loaded question, Mr. Detective." You teased, gently kicking him from under the table.

"Nonsense. I have no idea what you're talking about. You're just overthinking things." He laughed, waving his hand a bit to exaggerate his response.

"Whatever you say, Akechi." You giggled as you focused on the homework in front of you. Bickering with him like this never failed to lighten your mood, even if it's just a little bit.

**Afterschool**

Thankfully, you hadn't been held up by anything or anyone, so you made it to Shujin on time. As you entered the school building, you were relieved to see that the halls were empty. No kamoshida in sight. _I didn't think threatening him like that would actually work._ You thought as you began climbing the stairs, only to suddenly run into Makoto.

"Hey Makoto!" You chirped, happy to see your first ever friend.

"Good afternoon Y/N. I was actually looking for you. The Principal would like to speak with you." She said, smiling at you. _Oh dear._

"Oh okay. Did he say what he wanted?" You asked, slightly nervous. _Have I fucked up? Did the real world Kamoshida know about my threat? Am I going to be fired?_

"From what I understand, the English teachers are going to be meeting up this Saturday, so he probably wants to talk to you about that." She explained, glancing over at you a bit before a mischievous smile crossed her face. "Why are you so nervous? You haven't done anything that'll get you fired, have you?" She asked.

"Oh thank goodness. I won't lie, I got here late yesterday and Kamoshida caught me at the entrance. I told him it was because I had to go buy tampons or something, so for a second there, I thought he had snitched on me." You chuckled in relief. Makoto gave a soft laugh as well.

"Why were you late?" She questioned, curiosity lighting up her maroon eyes.

"Some pushy saleswoman at one of the stations literally backed me into a corner and tried to force me to buy some kind of perfume. It was the worst." You sighed and shook your head. You never realized how persistent people could be.

Makoto sighed and shook her head as well. "I can't tell you how many times that's happened to me. At least you got here at all. My sister was once cornered for over two hours."

You giggled at the thought of Sae being trapped by salesmen. Makoto looked over at you, visibly confused. "Sorry. I'm not laughing at your sister. It's just so ridiculous. Maybe I should start carrying around pepper spray or a taser. That'll keep them away." Makoto gave a little laugh as well as you reached the door to the Principals office. You waved goodbye to her as you entered.

"Ah good afternoon, L/N-san! Please come in." Principal Kobayakawa said, gesturing for you to get closer.

"Good afternoon, sir." You responded as you walked closer.

Kobayakawa began explaining how there was going to be an English staff meeting on Saturday and that you had to attend. He talked about how you would start looking over the material they're teaching so that you can better help the students who use your tutoring service. He also mentioned something about creating study guides, but by the time he got around to talking about them, you had stopped paying attention. He seemed to drone on and on, even the teachers looked like they weren't paying attention.

"Any questions?" He asked, looking satisfied with his unnecessarily long speech.

"No sir. I'll make sure to be at the meeting on Saturday." You did a little bow, to which he nodded and dismissed you. By the time you were done, the bell had already rang and students were flooding out of the classrooms. 

As you made your way to your classroom, a certain frizzy black haired boy caught your attention. He was standing by the stairs, talking to Ryuji.

"Yo Senpai!" Ryuji called out to you, gaining every student in the vicinities attention. _Why?_

"Hey guys! It's good to see you both again." You smiled up at them, then immediately looked at Ren's bag. He turned so that you could coo at Morgana. "Hi cutie. Make sure you come over again soon. I've got a little reward for you for saving me from that asshole." You said. You planned on buying fatty tuna when you went to the store later tonight.

"I thought I heard him yelling yesterday. What happened?" Ren asked, glancing at you as you stuck your fingers into the bag. Morgana squeaked a meow. _I can't understand him still? How did the whole talking cat thing work again?_ You couldn't remember.

"I got here late yesterday and Kamoshida ambushed me at the entrance. He insisted on walking me to class and during the entire walk, he walked so close to me that I could feel his leg hairs poke through my stockings and his hand touched me multiple times." You sighed. "He stopped me outside of my classroom and Morgana here saved me from having to talk to him. Thank you so much kitty." You cooed the last part.

Ryuji scoffed. "What a dick. Someone has to make him pay." He growled, bristling more and more by the second. He looked over at Ren and Ren subtly nodded.

"I hope so. He deserves a good punch in the throat." You giggled and backed away from the group. "I have to get back to tutoring. I hope we get to talk again soon!"

Ren exhaled quickly through his nose. "See ya Y/N."

"What?! Since when were you on a first name basis?" Ryuji pouted, causing you to laugh.

"Perhaps we'll be on a first name basis someday too, Sakamoto. Bye." You waved at them as you turned around.

"I'm lookin' forward to it!" Ryuji called to you before you entered your classroom. 

**Evening**

As you packed up the chalk you had brought so you could write on the white board, one of the English teachers walked in, followed by an annoyed looking Makoto.

"Please grade these for me. The grading rubric is on top. Be sure to have them done by the end of the week." Was all she said before turning around and walking out, receiving a death glare from Makoto the entire time.

"Yeah sure I totally don't have a life. Do you want me to come over and clean your house too? Maybe wipe your ass for you?" You mocked after the English teacher left. Your mood was slowly souring. It was the end of the day and you still had chores to do. All you wanted was to take a hot bath.

"Don't say that to her in person. She might take you up on that offer." Makoto laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. You snorted and shoved the papers into a folder that you specifically bought to hold the papers you'd need to grade. "I'm assuming you have plans?" She asked as you both exited the room.

"Yeah. Tonight I have to go grocery shopping because I'm out of everything. Tomorrow I have plans to teach Akechi how to cook. Thurs-" Makoto cut you off before you could finish your sentence.

"Excuse me what? You're doing what with Akechi tomorrow?" She asked, walking closer to you, a slight smirk on her face.

"I- Uh. Apparently, he never learned how to cook. So I'm gunna be teaching him some things so he can eat at home instead of always eating out or buying microwavable meals." You said awkwardly, realizing how that could be interpreted.

"Oh? Will you two be alone?" She pried, clearly wanting all of the gossip.

"Perhaps..." You trailed off, beginning to blush. Now that you were talking about it with Makoto, you were realizing that you would be going to a mans apartment alone at night.

"How interesting." She teased, getting even closer to you. "If he tries anything, let me know and me and sis will ruin him." You shivered as she cracked her knuckles.

"Yes ma'am." You squeaked, genuinely afraid of what Makoto and Sae would be capable of together.

You waved goodbye to the person you considered to be your best friend as you got to Shibuya station. _To the grocery store I go._ You internally groaned. You hoped you wouldn't spend too much time trying to find what you wanted. You wanted to visit the Jazz Club tonight.

It took you nearly an hour and thirty minutes to find everything you wanted and needed. Fruits, vegetables, meats, snacks, pasta, shampoo, conditioner, pain killers, band aids, and a myriad of other items. By the time you got back to your apartment, you almost didn't want to leave. It would take about 15-20 minutes to reach Kichijoji.

Thankfully, you didn't have to transfer trains on your way to the Jazz Club. It was one smooth ride.

Once you reached Kichijoji, you made your way to the club. If you hadn't been looking for it, you would've completely missed it. Upon entering, you paid the entrance fee and took one of the tables close to the singer.

Today's cocktail special was called 'Power Fizz.' You wondered if it would have an effect on you like the drinks did with Ren and his teammates whenever he brought them here. You couldn't remember what stats this drink potentially boosted.

After your fruity beverage had been placed in front of you, you took a sip and immediately almost started crying. It was absolutely delicious! You would've hugged Akechi and thanked him for convincing you to come here if he wasn't so iffy on affection.

For a while, you just sat there, sipping your drink and enjoying the music. You knew that you'd be visiting here again soon.

"You came." A velvety voice said. You didn't look at him. You had your eyes closed and your chin was resting on your hands which were folded in front of you, focusing on how relaxing this moment was. You patted the seat beside you to acknowledge that you heard him. A soft rustling and the sound of him setting his briefcase down told you that he took your offer.

Akechi waved down one of the waitresses and ordered a drink as well.

When the singer finished her song and announced that she would be taking a break, you finally looked over at him. "Thank you for recommending this place to me. I've only been here for about 20 minutes and it's already become my favorite place in Tokyo." You chuckled softly, trying not to disturb the ambiance. 

He smiled at you in the low lighting of the room. "I thought you would. You seemed like someone who could appreciate the intricacies of Jazz." He responded, voice just as low as yours.

"You're quite perceptive, Detective." You giggled at your little rhyme. "I've loved Jazz since I was little. My Uncle used to play piano at a fancy exclusive jazz club back in California. He would sneak me in through the back and I would just sit backstage for hours, listening to him play along with a bunch of different singers. My favorite singer was this older black woman. Her voice was so rich and deep. She could hit low notes that most men couldn't reach, and at the same time, she could hit the higher ones as well. She and my Uncle got along well, so they always lit up the stage when they performed together." You didn't mean to ramble about random memories in your life, but this place had a nostalgic feeling to it. Instead of making you miss your home even more, it was comforting.

Akechi's eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. He looked like he wasn't sure what to say. You just laughed a bit.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble." You said, feeling like you opened up a little too much.

"My mother was the one who introduced me to jazz." He began quietly. You did your best to not snap your head towards him, but you definitely moved your head quickly. "She had an old record player and a bunch of jazz records. She used to play them in order to help me fall asleep when I was very young." The small, sad smile on his face pulled at your heartstrings, though, his face quickly became neutral once he looked at you.

"Your mother had good taste. I have a record player and some jazz records back home in California." You smiled, turning your attention back to the singer who was making her way back on stage.

You and Akechi sat together in the warm music emanating from the stage for over an hour. Neither of you spoke during that time, just enjoyed each others company and the voice of the singer. You could've fallen asleep in the calmness of Jazz Jin. There were older couples slow dancing to the music. A bartender was quietly cleaning glasses. The singer swayed gracefully the the beat of the song she was singing.

Thankfully, the celebrity beside you broke you out of your sleepy daze. "It's late. We should get going before we miss the last train." He said softly before he grabbed his briefcase and stood up. You followed his lead and silently left the club.

The moment you got outside, you sucked in a breath and instinctively moved closer to him. It was freezing. "Maybe I should've put on pants before I came here." You groaned quietly, walking in step with Akechi.

He chuckled as he looked down at you in pity. "Would you like my coat?" He asked, causing you to look up at him.

"What? No? You'll freeze to death without it." You said, completely surprised.

"Unlike you, L/N, I'm not a baby. I can actually handle the cold." Akechi joked, a smirk pulling at his lips. You wanted to smack that smirk off his face.

"I hate you." You laughed, unable to say it with a firm voice.

"The feelings mutual." He quipped, also laughing. He slipped his jacket off and held it out so you could slip your arms through the sleeves.

"If you get sick, I'm not taking care of you. You're on your own." You giggled. _He's probably doing this so I won't walk so close to him._

His blazer smelled like Autumn, something akin to apples and cinnamon, and slightly of laundry detergent. It was so warm. You immediately pulled it up so it was covering the bottom half of your face and took a deep breath.

"I highly doubt that." He retorted, giving you a knowing look. You hated that he was right. You wouldn't hesitate to make him chicken noodle soup if he got sick. All you did in response was roll your eyes, letting him win the 'argument'.

As you both took a seat on the subway, you let out a squeaky yawn. A hand that was covered completely by the length of the coats sleeve covered your mouth as you did so.

"So how are you feeling? Better than this morning?" He asked a bit hesitantly.

"Yes much better. I almost didn't get out of bed this morning. I'm glad I did though." You hummed, probably sounding a bit cheesy.

"Good! I must confess, you had me a bit worried. The expression on your face this morning was a bit... jarring, I suppose." His words caused your eyes to widen. You sat up a bit straighter and looked at him.

"How was it jarring?" You questioned, feeling a bit worried.

"Hmm. The best word I can think of to describe the look on your face would be vacant. Like you weren't mentally or emotionally present." He explained, putting a hand on his chin. You swallowed slowly. That's not the first time someone in your life had said you looked 'vacant.' The last time was last year, when you were at your worst.

"O-Oh. I'm s-sorry." You stuttered, hoping he didn't figure out why you looked that way. Your dark and intrusive thoughts would definitely push him away.

He glanced over at you suspiciously, causing you to look away from him. He didn't say anything more about the topic on your way home though.

Once you reached your apartment complex, you removed his peacoat from your body, immediately missing the warmth it provided. "Thank you." You sighed, giving him a half-assed glare.

"You're welcome. Goodnight, L/N." He hummed as you began climbing the steps into the building.

"Goodnight, Akechi." You said softly, looking back at him before you opened the doors and went inside.

For dinner, all you ate was fried rice, made with the leftover rice you had from this morning. You cut up a carrot, warmed up some frozen sweet corn kernels and cracked a few eggs into the rice before adding a small assortment of spices. It wasn't as filling as you hoped it would be, but you'd survive until morning.

**April 20th. Wednesday. Morning**

You woke up a few minutes before your alarm went off thanks to the rumbling in your stomach. That was one of the best sleeps you've gotten in a while. You felt well rested and ready to take on the day, even though a soft pain squeezed your heart.

Once you had gotten out of bed and did your morning routine, you made yourself a real breakfast. Fish, rice, miso soup, and peach slices for 'dessert.' For lunch, you made chicken salad sandwiches and cut up a bunch of different fresh veggies, which included cucumber, carrots, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. You also included some ranch to dip the veggies in.

As you slipped on your shoes, you looked through Akechi's blog. He had posted the lunches you made him everyday, all with similar captions, except the day where you had made sesame pasta with chicken and broccoli, and octopus shaped sausages. The caption under that one said, "My favorite so far!" You couldn't stop smiling after reading that. _How childish._ You knew you'd end up making a lunch similar to that soon.

"Good morning." You hummed to the detective as you walked down the steps. He beamed at you.

"Good morning, L/N." He responded turning towards the station. "May I ask what we're cooking for dinner tonight?"

"You don't want it to be a surprise?" You giggled, noticing how awkward he looked.

"I'd rather know now." He said, adjusting his tie. 

"Fine." You sighed. "My dad used to make this chinese pasta with meat sauce dish. I can't remember the name of it, but I remember how it tasted. So I thought we'd give that a shot. It's ground beef in a sesame type sauce over noodles. It'll take around 30 minutes to cook." You explained, unable to stop smiling.

"We're going to be making a dish based off of the way you remember it tasting? No recipe?" He asked, astonished.

"Yup! It won't be that hard I promise." You laughed a bit at the way he was looking at you. He definitely thought you were crazy. "Oh come on! Have some faith in me. Have I made a bad meal yet?"

"No you haven't." He shook his head and sighed. "I suppose I'll have to put a little bit of trust in you."

"That's the spirit." You giggled, giving him a soft pat on the back. 

While you and Akechi were waiting for the train, a familiar voice spoke up. "Good morning, Y/N. Akechi-kun." Makoto said, nodding towards the boy in greeting.

"Good morning, Makoto." You responded, smiling brightly at her.

"Good morning, Niijima-san." Akechi said with all the charm in the world. 

"I heard my sis finally gave you a few days off." Makoto stated, sounding a bit closed off. 

"Yes! I have today and tomorrow off. I do hope Sae-san doesn't overwork herself. She deserves a few days off as well." Akechi sighed, sounding concerned.

"I agree. You should tell her that. She's tired of hearing me tell her to take a break." Makoto chuckled as the train arrived.

"I'll make sure to tell her when I see her again." Akechi gave a practiced TV laugh in return as you all packed onto the train. This time, you were squished against Makoto.

"I hate the trains." You groaned, immediately getting hot due to the amount of bodies in the small space you were in.

"Me too." Makoto sighed, sounding like she's had enough for one day. Akechi chuckled from behind you.

As your train arrived at its station, you said your goodbyes to the Shujin Student Council President. Finally, you got off and had a chance to breathe.

**Lunch**

"Got any plans for your big day off tomorrow?" You joked as you both walked to the library.

"I must admit, nothing comes to mind. Have any suggestions?" He responded, glancing down at you as he opened the door that led outside the main school building.

"Maybe you could try being a normal teenager for once. Go cause some trouble. Commit crimes. Have some fun." You teased, giggling the entire time.

"Are you implying that you, a normal teenager, participate in illegal activities?" He questioned, sarcasm lacing his voice.

"Obviously. Have you seen the apartment complex I live in? They all have so much money. My favorite past time is stealing from the rich and keeping it for myself. I'm the modern day Robin Hood." You quipped, enjoying the look of amusement on his face.

"Oh? And how does one go about committing robbery?" He asked, sounding like he's interrogating you.

"You need a bunch of different skills. Patience, quick thinking, lock picking." You said as you sat at your favorite table and pulled out the lunches.

"You expect me to believe that you can pick locks?" He chuckled, not believing you in the slightest.

"I recently had to pick some locks. Not gunna lie, I managed to open them using sheer dumb luck, but I like to think I have a basic understanding of how to do it." You laughed, trying to make it sound like a joke. You didn't mean to turn the conversation in this direction.

"I see. You'll have to teach me someday." He responded, eyeing the box as you slid it over to him.

"Maybe. Today's lunch is chicken salad sandwiches with fresh veggies. I finally got to go to the store and they were selling some tasty looking rotisserie chickens." You were practically drooling as you spoke, remembering the crisp, golden skin of the freshly cooked chicken.

You watched as he snapped a picture, then removed his gloves so he wouldn't get them dirty when he ate. 

You started eating before him this time, trying to make up for your missed meal yesterday. You didn't even realize that Akechi didn't comment on your meal until after you had finished your sandwiches. When you looked over, he had already finished his and was munching on the vegetables.

After he swallowed and dabbed his mouth with a napkin he looked over at you. "Sorry for not giving my thoughts on the meal immediately. I didn't want to stop eating. The chicken salad was creamy and a little tangy because of the red onions. You added the perfect amount of mayo. A hint of pepper was a nice surprise. A simple classic. You should make more non-Asian inspired meals." He said, looking you directly in the eyes as he spoke.

Your cheeks immediately flared up and you looked away from him quickly. "I'll keep that in mind for future meals." You mumbled as you closed your boxed lunch and slipped it back into your bag. Akechi chuckled at your flustered state.

A sigh escaped your lips as you pulled out the stack of papers you had to grade. You hoped you would be able to get through them quickly.

**Evening**

"Hello." Makoto hummed as she entered your classroom, watching as you picked up some dropped papers off of the floor.

"Hey!" You smiled over at her and pulled your bag over your shoulder.

"So." She sang, glancing at you as you made your way to the exit.

"So..." You groaned, waiting for her barrage of questions.

"Where does he live? Have you seen his apartment yet?" She asked, sounding like an overly concerned mother. Akechi had sent you his address once he got out of school. As it turns out, his apartment was about a 20 minute walk from yours. _It could be worse._

"No, I haven't seen his apartment yet. He lives about 20 minutes away from me." You sighed, not wanting to do any more walking. _How do the Phantom Thieves raid palaces afterschool? This is exhausting._

"That's not a bad commute time. Is he going to be meeting you at your apartment and walk with you? It's going to be getting dark soon." She asked as you walked out of the school.

"Probably not. I didn't think to ask." You admitted, wishing your gun still worked. You haven't had the time to get it looked at, or even look at it yourself.

"Is he at least going to be walking you home? It'll definitely be dark by the time you're done cooking with him." She questioned. You hadn't even thought about that. The look on your face must've been a good enough answer because Makoto sighed and shook her head. "It's like you want to be kidnapped or robbed." She sounded serious, but you knew she was joking.

"I suppose I didn't really think this through." You mumbled, hanging your head in shame. Improvising was a bad idea. You should've discussed this with him.

"No kidding." Makoto breathed, finally entering the station.

As you both rode the escalator up in the Shibuya station, Makoto seemed to perk up. Her back straightened, more than it already was, and she tilted her chin up a bit, looking like a professional woman. You raised an eyebrow at her as you glanced around the station, wondering why she did that. 

There stood Sae along with Akechi, she was truly striking. Her silver hair fell flawlessly over her shoulders and down her back. Her crimson eyes had a confident glint to them. She stood straight, shoulders squared. _Good lord._ She gave off an intimidating and powerful aura. 

"Good evening Sis. Akechi-kun." Makoto said firmly as you approached the two. They both turned their attention towards you and Makoto. "I didn't think you'd get out of work so early." Makoto's voice was filled with worry.

"Akechi-kun convinced me to take a break before I burn myself out." Sae said, giving the junior detective a half-hearted glare. He put his hands up in surrender and chuckled.

"By the way, this is my friend Y/N L/N." Makoto introduced you, glancing at you from the corner of her eye. Sae's eyes immediately moved to you. You did a nervous little bow.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Niijima-san." You didn't think you would meet her so soon. Your nervousness died a bit when she smiled at you.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Makoto has mentioned you a few times." Sae said, chuckling a bit at the end of her sentence. That made a smile erupt on your face. You looked over at Makoto, but she was looking away, blushing slightly. 

"Sis!" Makoto hissed, causing you to giggle.

"It's alright Niijima-san. L/N has talked about you to me a couple of times." Akechi hummed, voice laced with charisma. It was your turn to blush. You immediately glared at him, only for him to smile down at you in response.

"Oh? I didn't realize you two were friends as well." Sae said, referring to you and Akechi. You watched as Akechi's eyes widened briefly. 

"Mhm! Though, the student body doesn't seem to understand that we're just friends." You sighed, finally confirming out loud to Akechi that you considered him a friend. You couldn't figure out the expression that crossed his face when you said that.

"High schoolers are a handful." Sae chuckled before she looked over to Makoto. "We should get going. It's getting late. It was nice meeting you, L/N-chan." She gave you a nod.

"It was nice meeting you as well! Goodnight." You waved at them as they walked off.

You and Akechi walked in silence until you were out of the station.

"You..." He trailed off as you both began climbing the steps that led into your apartment complex so you could grab the ingredients you needed for cooking. "Consider me a friend?" He asked slowly, not looking at you as you reached the elevator.

"Yeah of course I do." You hummed as Akechi pressed the elevator button for you. He stayed quiet after that. You didn't want to push it with him.

Akechi sat at your kitchen table as you gathered the things you would need. Apparently, he didn't have any spices or sauces at his apartment, which absolutely disappointed you. You'd make sure to take him grocery shopping the next time you got a chance. You considered dragging him to the market tomorrow, but he'd probably want to relax on his day off.

"Oh!" You gasped as you were walking out of the door. Akechi glanced back at you as you reentered your apartment and grabbed your apron. "Almost forgot." You smiled dumbly as you closed the door behind you once you had grabbed it. 

Akechi's eyes lingered on the apron folded in your arms, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips, before he turned and continued walking. 

"I can carry them you know. I'm a big girl." You sighed as you looked over at the detective, who had insisted on carrying the bags of ingredients. All he did in response was smile and roll his eyes. You felt your heart jump in your throat. _Did he just roll his eyes?!_ That was the first time he had ever done that. You weren't sure why, but that little expression delighted you to no end. "Fine." You said softly and looked away from him, smiling to yourself.

Akechi led you through street after street. You definitely would've gotten lost if it wasn't for him. Eventually, he gesture to an extravagant looking apartment complex.

"Holy shit." You breathed, looking at the building in amazement.

The entrance had a white marble water fountain with a swan statue in the middle on each side. The fountains were surrounded by blossoming flowers in various eye pleasing patterns. The fencing around the complex was lined with cherry blossom trees, all still bright pink with flowers. Each apartment had a balcony. You could see some of the residents enjoying their evening sitting on their balconies. The apartment complex itself was a chic white and grey color. The paint was clean, blemish free. Large, spotless windows sat in even rows around the building.

"Jealous?" Akechi chuckled, finally speaking.

"Extremely... I want a balcony." You said softly, eyes still scanning the area.

"What would you use a balcony for?" He asked as you both reached the double doors that led to a lobby area.

"I could buy some planters and grow my own herbs and stuff." You sighed, imagining what could've been. You could feel Akechi stare at you for a moment as he led you through the lobby and back outside, now in the center of the complex. "You've got to be kidding me." You groaned as you began looking around again.

In the center, sat a large, clean pool. There were towel racks filled with fluffy white towels and comfortable looking chairs surrounding the pool. To the right was a bar, though, there was no bartender, probably because it was still April. To the left was a small building that contained bathrooms and changing areas.

"I cannot find the words to describe how jealous, and yet proud of you, I am." You mumbled as your eyes drank in the sight. You hoped Akechi would invite you over during the summer time so you could go swimming.

"Proud?" He questioned as he led you towards and elevator on the left side of the building.

"Mhm. I knew you worked hard, but damn. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort you have to put into your job in order to afford an apartment here." You responded, still looking around as Akechi pressed the button that went to the floor he lived on. _The top floor too? Jesus._

"Are you going to start using me for my money?" He joked, a slight smirk twitching at his lips. 

"Oh yeah definitely." You retorted, voice laced with sarcasm. 

Akechi's apartment was situated at the end of a long hallway. Once he opened his door, your jaw dropped. His apartment was immaculate.

"Would you like a tour?" Akechi chuckled as you both removed your shoes.

"Yes please." You said, still awestrucked.

"To your right is the kitchen area. I clearly don't use it." He said, gesturing to the area. The countertops were black granite and the cupboards were a polished white. "This is the living room. I must admit, I don't use this room much either." He hummed as he began walking towards the sliding glass door that led to his balcony. He opened it and led you outside. "My balcony. I do often use this area." 

You walked to the edge and gazed out at the setting sun. "What a romantic view." You breathed as you ingrained the wide array of pinks and reds that colored the sky into your brain.

"I suppose it is." He mumbled.

He then led you to a small hallway. "This is the bathroom." He opened the door to the room at the end, giving you a look around. "Lastly, this is my bedroom." He opened the door to your right and walked in. His bed was perfectly made and covered in an assortment of monochrome pillows. Sitting next to his bed was a wooden nightstand. On the top was a lamp and a picture frame. The picture looked to be of a young Goro Akechi and a woman, possibly his mother, smiling. He must've noticed you looking at it because he quickly gestured for you to exit. "Let's get started, shall we?"

(I did some googling. This is basically what I imagine Akechi's apartment looks like. Chic, modern, expensive. *chefs kiss* [Click me!](https://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Modern-1-Bedroom-Floor-Plan.jpg) ALSO, CAN WE PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE LITTLE AKECHI?! LOOK AT HOW PRECIOUS THIS BOY IS. [CLICK ME!](https://i.redd.it/oe49sq3ggsc51.png))

You nodded. "Sure."

Akechi gave you a quick explanation of where things were in his kitchen. After you slipped on your apron, you both got to work. First, you started by getting the meat ready. The sauce would be the thing that took the longest to cook. You dumped the package of ground beef onto a pan that was over a medium heat. Akechi used a spatula to cut up the meat and break it apart.

"Good!" You praised as you readied the spices and sauces you would need. Next, you instructed Akechi to measure out ingredients and put them into the pan with the meat. He was doing okay until he had to measure out the wet ingredients. 

"Stop." You said and approached him. He froze in his position, measuring cup in the air, hovering over the countertop, and the soy sauce bottle tilted slightly in its direction. "When measuring wet ingredients, well, it might be best to do it with all ingredients, you should measure it over the pan. That way if it spills, it'll go into the food, and not all over your countertop." You explained as you put a hand on his back and a hand around his wrist, pushing him closer to the cooking meat.

"I see." He responded as he began pouring the sauce. "If I did spill, would it be too much?" He asked, glancing over to you. He seemed to be genuinely interested in what was going on. It amused you.

"A little extra never hurts, but if you feel like it might be too much, you can just guess how much was poured into the pan and leave that amount out of the measuring cup. If you want to be a chaotic neutral, like myself, you can forgo the measuring all together and just eyeball the amounts." You smiled at him and watched him pour the soy sauce into the pan. His head snapped over to you, looking like you had just said something crazy.

"That's ludicrous!" He gasped as he set down the measuring cup. 

"Perhaps, but it's how I've been making all of our lunches." You laughed, enjoying his genuine confusion.

"You've... just been guessing... when it comes to ingredient amounts..." He looked like he didn't believe you. His expression and speechlessness had you laughing even harder.

"It's not like I don't think out the amounts. I know how much I should use and want to put in. I just don't actually measure it out because I can imagine what the amounts look like in my head." You tried to explain, but he still looked confused. He grabbed the measuring cup and the soy sauce and handed it to you.

"Pour me a teaspoon." He said, wanting to see your guessing skills in action. You did as he requested and poured what you believed to be a teaspoon of soy sauce into the measuring cup. He then took the cup from you and walked over to the sink. You watched as he poured the amount into a teaspoon. He sat there with a dumbfounded expression on his face as he looked at how close you had been. You were pretty close, just a drop or two too much. "How...?" He breathed, staring at the spoon.

At this point, you were bent over from laughing so hard. You wanted to take a picture of this moment. "Don't forget. I've been cooking for the 17 years that I've been alive." You managed to squeak out during your laughing fit. "Aha! I can't breathe!" You almost wheezed, wiping a tear from your eye.

Akechi just sighed and poured the sauce back into its container. "What next?" He looked over at you expectantly. It took you several minutes before you were able to calm down. 

"Sesame seed oil. A tablespoon." You took a deep breath as you watched Akechi do what you said. "Give it a good stir, then put the top on." You said as you walked over to the sink to start preparing the vegetables. Akechi joined you after a few seconds.

Next, you cleaned and trimmed the snow peas. Akechi caught on quickly. Since the snow peas would only take a few minutes to cook, you instructed Akechi to fill up a pot with water so you could get started on the noodles. As the water came to a boil, you told Akechi to break the spaghetti noodles in half and drop them in the water. He scrunched up his eyebrows, but did what you said.

"Now add some salt. I'll tell you when to stop." You said and walked closer to the pot.

"Salt?" He questioned. _For a man with a food blog, he really doesn't know shit about food._

"It gives the noodles flavor. Pour slowly." You commanded, watching as he started pouring salt into the water. "Stop." You said once you were satisfied with the amount. While you waited for the noodles to cook, you began stir frying the snow peas in oil.

"Add a teaspoon of minced garlic." You said, watching as Akechi panicked slightly when the oil began splattering. "We need to get you an apron." You eyed him up and down, trying to think of a good design for him. 

"In your dreams." He said, eyeing the oil which had calmed down a bit.

"I think you'd look cute in one with a similar design to mine." You giggled and did a little twirl. "Besides, who's going to see you wearing it?"

"Cute? I'm not sure about that." He chuckled. "I'd prefer something more plain looking."

"Aw. You don't want to get matching aprons?" You fake pouted. Akechi looked at you for a moment before he turned around and stirred the snow peas.

"It's not like I'll be cooking often." He sighed, backing away from the crackling oil.

"Oh come on. You're already a pro at this!" You encouraged, smiling at him. His lips twitched slightly.

"I'll think about it." He resigned, giving up on trying to convince you that he doesn't want one. You did a little celebratory fist pump, causing him to chuckle. 

Once everything had finished cooking, you offered to serve him since he did such a good job. He happily took a seat at his little dining table, watching as you filled two plates with food. He hummed a soft, "Thank you," as you set the food in front of him, along with a glass of water.

Taking a seat across from him, you stared down at your plate, feeling kind of nervous. The sound of Akechi taking a picture distracted you for a moment.

"People think you have a girlfriend because of you posting pictures of the lunches. Now you're going to post pictures of your dinner too? Your fans are gunna go crazy." You joked. He just smiled at you before he turned his attention back to the food. You watched as he took a bite. 

"Delicious! The meat sauce is savory and peppery. The noodles are a nice al dente, the salt really gave them a lot of flavor. The snow peas are still crisp, not over cooked and not too garlicy." He praised, causing a bright smile to break out onto your face as you stared at him. He tilted his head ever so slightly.

"And who cooked this meal?" You sang, watching as he scrunched up his eyebrows for a moment.

"You instructed me on what to do." He said, trying to shift the praise onto you.

"But did I do any of the actual cooking?" You asked, still smiling at him. His cheeks turned a slight pink and he looked away from you before taking another bite. You just giggled, genuinely proud of him for going through with this.

Neither of you spoke as you ate. You couldn't believe that this was the third night you had spent hanging out with him. You never would've imagined that he would actually let you hang around him outside of school.

Akechi took a deep breath and sat back in his chair once he had finished. It didn't take you long to finish your portion. 

"Was it worth it?" You asked as you sat back and patted your stomach.

"I suppose I can't complain. It didn't take too much effort to make and it was fairly quick." He responded, staring into his plate.

"Good. It just takes a bit of practice. Don't be afraid to mess up. I messed up a ton when I first started and I still do." You giggled, glancing at your phone. "It's getting late." You sighed as you looked behind Akechi and at the dark sky.

"Let's get your things packed up. I'll walk you home." He chuckled.

"Are you sure?" You asked as you stood and picked up your plate. "That's going to be, like, a 40 minute walk."

"I'm well aware, but I don't think you should be walking home alone in the dark." He responded as he walked past you and towards the sink. "Leave the dishes in the sink. I'll clean them once I get back." You did as he said and slipped your shoes on.

Once you were ready to leave, he looked at you for a moment before walking away and disappearing into his room. He returned with a grey hoodie, which he immediately held over your head. You took the hint and put your arms through the sleeves. It was like you were wearing a dress. "Thanks." You grumbled, covering the bottom half of your face with your apron. He just nodded and opened the door.

The walk to your apartment was silent. You were exhausted, ready to shower and pass out afterwards. You were sure that Akechi wanted to be left alone at this point. Putting up a façade for so long must be tiring.

As you reached your apartment complex, you removed his hoodie from your body and handed it back to him.

"Goodnight L/N." He said quietly, definitely sounding exhausted.

"Goodnight Akechi. I'll see you tomorrow." You murmured, smiling at him as you reached the doors to the lobby. He nodded in response, then walked off. 

After you got inside your cute little apartment, you put away your things, then did what you had been wanting to do all day. Shower. The mildly scalding water always helped you unwind after a long day. Once you finished, you put your phone on its charger, feeling a little bad for not being able to help Kasumi these past few days, but she'd survive, and passed out the moment your head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took all of my strength to stop myself from having Akechi say, "You like Jazz?"
> 
> I'm not sure if I'm happy with this chapter or not. I struggled to keep motivation while writing asdhfksjd. Anyways, the next chapter will surely be exciting ;)
> 
> Just a heads up. The morning and lunch times are probably going to start becoming shorter and shorter because they're very quickly becoming repetitive. I want to start putting more days in a single chapter and I can't do that without shortening some things. Well, I could but then the chapters would be way too long hhhhh. I wanna speed up the story.
> 
> lastly, i am a simp for Sae


	12. Hunting the Crow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You didn't realize just how traumatizing what happened in Kamoshida's palace was until you were forced to go back in.
> 
> Makoto's birthday is coming up, Reader gets some help buying her a present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's official. We're the grandma friend in our friend group. Always cooking for the others. Spoils the grandchildren (morgana). Always carrying around snacks in our bag.
> 
> Important note!!! The end note explains what the readers arcana is and why I chose it! If you don't want to be spoiled and want to figure it out on your own, I suggest you skip it :)
> 
> Also, how do you guys feel about long chapters? Like longer than 8k words. I always feel like there's too much content in those chapters and it's too much to keep up with ;;

**April 21st. Thursday. Morning.**

A squeak ripped its way out of your throat as you stretched the sleep out of your muscles in bed. You got another good night of sleep. 

With little effort, you got out of bed and went about your morning. It didn't take you long to make yourself breakfast. Lunch wouldn't take long either. Akechi wanted more non-Asian dishes, so you would make sandwiches again. Mostly because you were craving a meal your grandmother used to make you.

Once you had set your breakfast on your table, a loud meow caught your attention. You snapped your head to your fire escape to see Morgana standing on his hind legs and leaning up against the glass door, and Ren, who was bent over, completely out of breath. _What the fuck?_

You walked over and opened the door for them, still in your pj's. Morgana zipped in and zoomed straight to your refrigerator. Ren just sighed.

"I'm so sorry. Morgana refused to eat dinner last night and he woke me up early this morning then ran out the door. I can't believe he knows the way to your apartment." Ren breathed, still trying to catch his breath. He had definitely chased Morgana. His clothes were a mess and you were pretty sure he had his shirt on backwards. His tie was loosely tied around his neck and his uniform jacket was only halfway on.

This moment was so ridiculous that you couldn't help but laugh. "Come on." You giggled as you walked back to your kitchen, then gestured for Ren to take a seat at your kitchen table. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No not yet." He responded, watching as you pulled out a package of fatty tuna for the kitty from your fridge.

"Well then. Todays breakfast is grilled fish, miso soup with tofu, and rice." You said as you got him a bowl of rice and soup of his own. You had only grilled one fish, so you thought you'd share it with him. The sound of Morgana inhaling the fish made you laugh as you set the food down in front of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. "Did I do good? I bought the most expensive fish they had for you."

Morgana turned his head towards you and gave you a muffled meow before he continued to eat.

"Thank you. And he said you did great." Ren chuckled while you took your seat.

"I thought Sakamoto was the cat whisperer. Or am I just the only one who can't understand Morgana?" You joked, glancing over at Morgana, who was glaring at you.

"It's just you." Ren said, a slight smirk sat on his lips as he pulled off a piece of the fish you were sharing and took a bite. "Hm. Tasty." He hummed as he shoved some rice into his mouth. You just giggled as you ate.

"Would you like lunch?" You asked Ren as you placed the dirty dishes in the sink.

"What?" He asked, staring at you from his crouched position by Morgana.

"You heard me. I'm making ham, cheese and egg sandwiches for lunch. I have enough ingredients to make you a sandwich or two." You said, turning away from him as you turned on a burner and slapped some butter onto a pan. "I've got some tinfoil around here somewhere. I can wrap yours up for you."

"Yes please. Just one is fine." He mumbled, still playing with Morgana.

It only took you about 15 minutes to complete yours, Ren's and Akechi's lunches. You also gave Ren a little tupperware container full of fruit.

Ren left before Akechi arrived, claiming that he didn't want to be a third wheel, which you understood and were extremely grateful for. He wasn't supposed to meet Akechi this early. Not to mention that you would probably end up being the third wheel.

"Good morning Akechi." You hummed as you walked up to him at the front of your apartment complex.

"Good morning L/N." He chirped, seeming to be in a good mood.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" You asked, looking up at him, giving him your best puppy eyes. His lips twitched downwards slightly.

"What would you like me to do?" He responded, probably expecting you to use his fame or money to get what you wanted.

"I did a bit of digging and found out that Makoto's birthday is this Saturday. Do you think you could talk to her sister for me and find out what kinds of things Makoto might want for her birthday? Or what her favorite flavor of cake is? It's too late for me to ask Makoto those things myself. It'll seem suspicious." You explained, a pleading look on your face. Akechi laughed, looking a bit relieved.

"Is that all?" He asked, looking down at you.

"Yup! Let me know as soon as possible please! I'll need time to hunt down something to give her." You said, thinking about what she could possibly like. You really didn't know her that well.

"Alright. I'll see what I can do." He hummed as you both reached the station.

"Thank you!" You giggled. It's been a while since you've baked. You hoped you could bake Makoto a cake or something.

Akechi just smiled at you.

As you entered the school, Callie rushed at you and grabbed you harshly by the wrist, then dragged you away from Akechi with Brook and Kaylee in tow. You just gave Akechi a startled look before you rounded a corner and lost sight of him.

"What the fuck?" Callie yelled at you once she had gotten you to the roof. Brook and Kaylee just stood there awkwardly, a good distance away from you and the 'queen' of the school. "Why the fuck are you talking to Igor?!"

"Do you think I want to talk to him? He came to me, not the other way around." You snapped, rubbing your red wrist.

"Don't you think I should've been there when you told these two about your little meeting with the false god?" Her face was red. She was absolutely furious.

"You were invited. You were just too busy forcing your affection onto Akechi to notice what was going on." You hissed, good mood quickly disappearing.

"God you're infuriating! You aren't special. Why did Igor choose you?" Callie growled, visibly bristling. "No one even likes you."

You've had enough. It took all of your strength to not smack her right then and there. You took a couple of steps away from her and took a deep breath.

"Fuck it. I'm done. You're on your own. Good luck." You said as you turned and walked towards the door, brushing past the other two.

"What do you mean you're done?! We're supposed to be sticking together! Are you just going to leave us behind?" She yelled, causing you to slowly turn around.

"No. Just you." You scoffed as you continued your walk back into the school. 

**Lunch**

You waited for Akechi outside of class once more. A soft smile lit up his face as you both made eye contact. You gave him a little smile back as you both headed for the library together.

"May I ask what the other American transfer students wanted with you?" Akechi asked as you both sat at your lunch table. 

You groaned and laid your head on the table in front of you. "Callie was just being her usual jealous, unlikable self. She was upset that I 'excluded' her from my conversation with the other transfer students, even though she wasn't. She was invited to talk, but she was too busy swooning over you to notice what was going on around her. Someone needs to give her a good slap across the face."

"I'm sorry I'm so charming." Akechi chuckled. You could hear the pity in his voice. You sat up and handed him his lunch box.

"It's not your fault. Well. Maybe it is." You giggled as you opened your lunch. His lips tilted upwards as he leaned forwards and waited for you to explain todays lunch. "Today's lunch is a recipe curtesy of my grandmother. It's a ham, egg and cheese sandwich, a salad, the little container holds caesar salad dressing, and lastly, fruit."

Akechi's eyes widened slightly before he took a picture, then removed his gloves. Your eyes lingered on his bare hands for a moment. You also removed your gloves and reached for your meal. Akechi finished one half of the sandwich before he began monologuing.

"Tasty. The toasted bread still has a nice crunch. The eggs are perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper." His eyes lingered on you for a moment before he looked back down at his lunch. You smirked, knowing that he still didn't understand how you could measure ingredients by just eyeballing it. "The ham is sweet, and the cheese really pulls the whole sandwich together."

You giggled as you looked at him. If your grandma had heard what he said, she would be forcing you to marry the poor boy. Akechi raised an eyebrow at your giggling. You just shook your head and continued eating. His stare lingered on you before he continued eating as well.

A gentle sigh escaped your lips as you leaned back in your chair. _Sleepy._ You packed a bit too much for lunch, and now you would be groggy for the rest of the day. Akechi sat back in his chair as well.

"Tired." You mumbled as you crossed your arms over the table and laid your head down.

"Are you going to take a nap?" Akechi laughed softly.

"I take a nap right here." You groaned, doing your best not to giggle. Akechi was still laughing. You didn't think he'd understand a Vine reference. "Hmm goodnight." You ended up laughing as you said that. Akechi giggling at your dumb reference had you smiling like an idiot.

(If you don't understand the reference: [Click me!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWPqgJWT6R4))

While you didn't actually sleep during lunch, you spent the entire time staring out the window beside you, watching students play a myriad of different sports at the recreation area.

**Afterschool**

"Isn't that the delinquent transfer student?"

"He's friends with Sakamoto-kun?"

"They're so scary."

"Are they here to get help from L/N-senpai?"

"I didn't think they took their studies seriously."

You turned your head towards the entrance of your classroom to see Ren and Ryuji, standing there awkwardly. You smiled and waved to them, receiving a small wave back. Slowly, you made your way over to the boys who refused to come in more than a few feet.

"What's up?" You asked as you approached them.

"Here." Ren hummed as he handed you back the tupperware you had given him this morning.

"Oh I completely forgot about this. Thank you." You laughed slightly, taking the empty container from his hands. Ren chuckled softly as he watched you stuff the container into your bag.

"You're a pretty good cook Senpai." Ryuji said, giving you a cheeky grin.

"He stole half of my sandwich." Ren tattled. Ryuji glared at the frizzy haired boy and pouted.

"Did not! You offered me some!" Ryuji huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I said you could take a bite. You took an entire half, then ate it in one bite." Ren explained, looking over at you with a disappointed look. You slapped your hand over your mouth and did your best not to laugh. Your shoulders shook and a squeak ripped its way out of your mouth. Ren just sighed at your reaction.

"Whatever. See ya later, L/N!" Ryuji waved, then turned and walked out. Ren rolled his eyes and waved at you as well before he took his leave.

"Bye." You giggled, hand still over your mouth.

**Evening**

As you were wrapping up for the day, a handful of voices chattering outside of your classroom caught your attention.

"Is it true? Akechi-san is at our school?"

"I saw him a few minutes ago! He walked past the entrance!"

"Lucky! I wish I could've seen him in person."

 _Oh fuck._ Your head snapped over to the girls talking on the other side of the wall. _Akechi's here?! Does that mean...?_

Quickly, you pulled out your phone and brought up the Nav app. Kamoshida's name was still there, which meant that Akechi hadn't gotten to him yet. You still had time.

However, no matter how hard you tried to will yourself, you couldn't get your finger to press the "Begin Navigation" button. _Why won't my body listen to me?_ Your thumb would hover millimeters above the button, but it wouldn't actually touch the screen. _What's going on?_ Your hand began to tremble and you felt your mouth go dry. Anxiety clawed its way up your spine and your legs were beginning to feel like they would give out at any moment. _I'm... afraid._

You clenched and unclenched your jaw multiple times as you sat down and stared at your phone screen. Kamoshida's name and palace information lighting up your screen. _I'm supposed to be the predator now, so why am I so afraid?_ You could feel your throat tighten and your vision was getting darker. The sound of chains jingled in your ears and heavy footsteps echoed around your mind. You were absolutely terrified of going back. The thought of possibly being locked up again chilled you to the core, but you couldn't let this happen. You had no idea what would happen in Kamoshida's palace if you didn't go in. The Phantom Thieves could run into Akechi early and Akechi could kill them all in a single blow. Akechi could kill Kamoshida. Akechi. Akechi. Akechi. All of your problems seemed to revolve around him. 

"Shit." You hissed as you closed your eyes and tapped your screen. You could feel the world around you warp as you were transported into Kamoshida's palace. The warm, comforting air that once filled your classroom shifted into a cold and uninviting haze. 

Slowly, you opened your eyes and glanced around the room. You were alone. It took you a moment before you were able to stand up and walk to the door. Dark images and sounds invaded your mind and ears. You wanted nothing more than to pretend like this wasn't happening, to just go home and act like this wasn't your fault.

Gently, you pressed your ear to the door and listened for any sounds. Cracking the door open, you peeked through and saw no one. You slithered out and made your way into the worship room. It was still covered in a thick layer of ice. Goosebumps crawled up your arms from the frigid air around you. _Goddamn._ You knew that someone had definitely seen what you had done.

For now, you decided to press forwards and get through as much of the palace as you could. If you had to guess, Kamoshida would be at his throne room, so that's where you were headed. 

You did your best to stay out of the sight of shadows and sneak through the castle. While you knew that you could handle the shadows no problem since this was the real world and turn based battles didn't happen in the real world, you knew you needed to save your strength. You wouldn't be able to hold a candle to Akechi's power, but, if it came down to it, you'd need to be able to survive long enough to make sure that Kamoshida could get away.

During your journey to the throne room, you smashed every breakable object you could find, in hopes of getting some kind of healing item. Sadly, luck wasn't on your side, because as you shattered the vase sitting in front of you, a female voice spoke.

"What was that?!" Panther squeaked, sounding like she was just around the corner. _Shit._ You quickly looked around in hopes of finding a way to escape.

"Joker! We should go check it out! Make sure we aren't being followed." Mona said. You could understand him now.

"Oh yeah. Real smart. We should just go check out the cause of a vase suddenly shattering. What if it's a powerful shadow or Kamoshida trying to lure us into a trap? Or the person who froze the worship hall?" Skull reasoned.

"That's the smartest thing I think I've ever heard you say." Panther responded, earning a proud sounding grunt from Skull in response. During their little argument, you didn't hesitate to slide open a nearby window and climb out it, slowly closing it behind you.

"What if it's my dear Princess? What if she's hurt and scared?!" Mona cried, seeming to convince himself that that was who made the sound. "I'm coming Princess! Your Prince is on his way!" He yelled as you heard him charge down the hall with the rest of the Phantom Thieves scrambling to catch up to him.

"You idiot! Slow down! It could be dangerous!" Skull yelled at the cat. You just prayed that they wouldn't try looking out the windows. You were currently teetering on the edge of a small ledge. You had no where to go except down if they caught you.

You could hear the Thieves come to a stop as they investigated the vase you had shattered. Their voices were difficult to hear due to them mumbling or whispering, but you thought you heard them say, "deliberate," "weapon," and "person." They were definitely suspicious, but thankfully, they carried on with what they were doing, not even bothering to check outside. 

_How am I going to get past them?_ You thought to yourself as you tripped through the window. "Ow." You hissed as you landed on your hands and knees. _So graceful._

As you followed the Phantom Thieves, you waited for any possible opening to sneak past them, but they just didn't seem to want to give you one. At this point, you were getting impatient. You weren't sure if Akechi was actually here in Kamoshida's palace, but you didn't have any other explanation for why he had been seen at Shujin. It would be best if you got to Kamoshida as soon as possible so you could keep your eyes on him. 

"Fuck it. Artemis." You breathed as you watched the Thieves enter a battle. You silently commanded your persona to use Sukukaja and raise your speed. After taking a deep breath, you sprinted forwards. The shadow immediately turned its attention towards you, but you didn't give it a chance to do anything. You threw your needle as hard as you could over the shadow. Your weapon lodged itself into the ceiling, using the string attached to the end, you grappled yourself over it.

The shadow looked surprised as you flew over its head, not bothering to attack it.

"What the 'eff?!" Skull screamed as he watched you do a graceful little twirl in the air before you landed, then sprinted away. 

"Who was that?!" Panther said, sounding like she was in shock.

"That must've been who broke that vase! I knew we were being followed! Joker! Let's finish this, then go after her." Mona called out to the leader of thieves. You knew they wouldn't be able to catch up with you though. You had enough SP to sprint around the castle for hours if you really wanted to.

It didn't take you long to find another saferoom. You took a small break so you could log its location into your Nav app, just in case you needed to come back here again. It was difficult to type in the information due to how hard your hands and fingers were shaking. You had just done something extremely risky. The Thieves now knew of your existence. 

Finally, you had made it to the throne room. You had been in Kamoshida's palace for nearly two hours now. As you made your way through the crescent shaped room you heard voices.

"Please! Please don't kill me. I haven't done anything wrong. I beg you. Anything! I'll give you anything you'd like. Money. High school girls. Yes. Girls. There's a new tutor at Shujin. She's a total babe. Shy. Innocent. Smart. Not to mention that she must have a great body under-" Kamoshida's sob was interrupted by the man you had hoped you wouldn't be seeing here.

"Shut up." Akechi's voice sounded like it had dropped an octave. 

Once you reached the entrance to the room, you saw it. Kamoshida was on his hands and knees, ass in the air, kissing Akechi's boots in an attempt to beg for his life. Akechi had the barrel of his pistol aimed at Kamoshida. 

_Fuck._ Without thinking, you pulled out your bow and an arrow. Cocking the arrow, you aimed for the boy on the opposite side of the room. Letting go, the arrow silently flew threw the air and lodged itself in Akechi's left shoulder.

**Bang.**

"ACK!" The detective cried and bent forwards. Kamoshida crawled backwards, cradling his bleeding ear. Akechi had barely missed.

You pulled back another arrow and let it fly. Akechi seemed to have prepared for that because he rolled out of the way, back still turned to you. The arrow whizzed past Kamoshida's head. You didn't stop firing arrow after arrow as Kamoshida ran for his life. By the time Akechi realized what was going on, it was too late. Kamoshida had gotten away.

"I'll kill you!" He snarled, sounding like a feral animal as he turned to look at you. He savagely ripped the arrow out of his body and charged towards you, serrated sabre in hand. The tip of the blade dragged against the checker patterned stone flooring, causing sparks to fly as he ran.

You turned and sprinted through the hallway as quickly as you could. You didn't have an escape plan. Your unpreparedness would be the death of you.

The sound of Akechi's footsteps was quickly getting louder, you knew you shouldn't, but terror made you peak over your shoulder. He had his right arm outstretched, reaching for you, fingertips almost making contact with your hair which you had pulled up into a high ponytail. You didn't want to reveal yourself just yet, but if you didn't, who knows what could happen. However, an idea popped into your mind. It was reckless and dumb, but it gave you a chance.

You quietly summoned your persona. The stag Artemis was riding on slammed its horns into Akechi, causing him to slide backwards, giving you enough time to launch yourself at one of the large windows in front of you. It shattered as your body made contact with it. Akechi was quick to catch up, but not quick enough to catch you. You locked eyes with him as you fell back first towards the ground below.

He nearly fell out of the window himself as he tried to grab you. His fingers brushed against the tip of your boot. He just watched as you arched your back and flipped through the air, falling towards the cement pavement. 

Using your needle as a grappling hook once again, you jammed it into the side of the castle and used the string to swing into one of the windows on the second floor. You rolled and landed safely on the ground, back inside the castle.

You didn't waste any time sprinting away from the shattered window. There was a chance that someone had heard. You entered a nearby saferoom and teleported randomly to a different one. Once you felt like you had gotten away from Akechi, you collapsed to the floor, hyperventilating. 

A part of you felt like if you had revealed your identity to him, he would've still killed you. You made him angry. You prayed that you'd be able to act normal around him tomorrow. This was all so overwhelming. As badly as you wanted to leave, you knew you had to stay and make sure that Akechi didn't try killing Kamoshida again. 

Slowly, you began taking deep breaths, trying to calm yourself down. A burning pain blossomed across your back as the adrenaline in your body dissipated. You could feel the broken glass shards in your cuts. _How the hell am I supposed to heal myself?_ You hoped you'd figure out a way soon because you couldn't go home with wounds like that. The blood would soak through your peacoat quickly.

After another grueling hour and a half of running around, you felt confident enough to leave the palace. You figured that Akechi had left after Kamoshida had gotten away, and the Phantom Thieves probably left shortly after they saw you. All of your hoping and praying seemed to have paid off because as luck would have it, you managed to get your hands on another bead. _Thank god._

You shattered the bead, then left the confines of Kamoshida's palace. By the time you had left and made your way to the station, it was nearing 9 P.M. 

The moment you got to your apartment, you collapsed on your couch, knowing you wouldn't make it to your bedroom. You couldn't hold back your emotions any more. A soft sob escaped your lips as hot tears dripped onto your couch. You couldn't stop your body from shaking as the traumatic events in Kamoshida's castle settled into your mind. You wondered how Ann dealt with what happened to her. 

You did your best to eat after you managed to calm down, but you weren't hungry. A strange feeling of numbness was taking over your emotions and senses. Food didn't have a taste and water felt like sandpaper going down your throat. 

Giving up on eating, you made your way to your bathroom and drowned out your sorrows in a tub of hot water.

**April 22nd. Friday. Morning**

"Good morning." Akechi hummed as you made your way to him outside of your complex. 

"Good morning." You responded, looking up at him. He had a soft smile on his face. From the looks of it, he hadn't figured out that it was you who shot him last night.

"Here." He said, handing you a folded piece of paper. "I had to stop by work yesterday to drop off some papers and I ran into Sae-san. It's a list of things Makoto might like." Your mood immediately brightened.

You had multiple nightmares last night, all about being trapped in Kamoshida's palace. Surprisingly, you didn't have any nightmares about Akechi. Your exhaustion caused you to accidentally sleep through your alarm, causing you to barely have enough time to make lunch. Sadly, you didn't have enough time to eat breakfast.

"Thank you Akechi!" You chirped. It took all of your self control to keep yourself from squeezing the life out of him. "You're the best!" You giggled as you scanned the paper. _Vanilla, buttercream frosting, chocolate, fruit._ Makoto liked a bunch of different flavors, meaning you had a lot to work with. For possible gifts, Sae had written 'everyday items', which you assumed meant things like mugs, jewelry, and accessories. She had also noted some more specific things like small plants, fountain pens, and that Makoto liked classical music. _Thank you Sae._

"Oh I know." He chuckled, smiling down at you as you made your way to the station. "What are you going to get her?"

"That's a good question. There's a flower shop in the Underground Mall right?" You asked, looking over at him. He nodded in response. "Then I'll probably get her a succulent or two. Maybe a bracelet or necklace? She's a bit of a tomboy so they won't be anything fancy." You mumbled, trying to come up with ideas.

"I see. What about cake? Are you a baker too?" He laughed.

"Obviously I am." You scoffed, pretending to be offended that he asked that. "I don't think I'll bake a whole cake. I do have an idea for something cute though. I'll make sure to bake extra so you can try them." You giggled and bounced a bit as you walked, excited to mess around with the idea you had.

"I would like that." He said, a soft smile sitting on his lips as he watched your delighted form.

**Lunch**

Your good mood from this morning was slowly draining out of your body. A nap sounded wonderful right now, though, you knew you'd probably have nightmares.

"What's wrong?" Akechi asked as you made your way to the library.

"I'm just tired. I kept having nightmares last night." You said, a soft yawn making its way out of your mouth after you spoke. 

"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?" He looked down at you from the corner of his eye. You wanted to talk about what happened in Kamoshida's palace, to vent or something, just to get it out of your system, but you couldn't tell Akechi all of that. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He said suddenly, probably because you weren't responding.

"I'm just... not ready to talk about it." You gave him a soft smile. His lips tilted downwards and he lifted a hand to his chin for a moment before he turned his attention back to the path in front of you.

Akechi tapped his fingers against the table as he waited for you to give him his lunch. _He's like an impatient child._ You thought to yourself as you handed him his box, smiling to yourself. He immediately opened it and scanned the contents inside.

"Today's lunch is pork stir fry with bell peppers, carrots and bean sprouts. A rolled omelet and rice." You said, watching as he started eating before you had even finished talking. "By the way, I'd like to know how much spice you can handle. I like spicy foods, so I'd like to make spicier meals more often." You explained as he ate. He glanced up at you as he swallowed.

"I'm not sure how I'd go about explaining the amount of heat I can handle." He mumbled, looking a bit confused. 

"What if..." You trailed off, thinking of a way to understand his tastes. "What if I cooked a meal and I let you add the amount of spiciness you're comfortable with?" You've been craving spicy foods recently.

"Does that mean I have to cook again?" He asked, sighing a bit. You rolled your eyes and threw your head back dramatically.

"You're insufferable." You groaned. He lifted a hand and covered his mouth as he laughed. "You don't have to if you don't want to." You sighed as you looked back over at him. "But I wouldn't mind some help." He groaned at that and shook his head.

"When will you be cooking said meal?" He questioned, resting his cheek in between his index and middle finger.

"How about this Sunday night? I'll make dinner, my apartment." You smiled at him, mouth watering at the thought of eating something spicy.

"Alright. I'll think about it." Akechi chuckled before he continued eating. You thought this dish would be a million times better if it was spicy.

As you were packing the lunches into your bag, you heard Akechi clear his throat. Looking over at him, you noticed he had earbuds in his ears. His phone, which was laying flat on the table, had a music app pulled up. You froze, staring at the pretty boy in front of you in shock. He didn't say anything, he just pressed the play button and turned the volume up. You watched as he flinched slightly due to the volume. Akechi stared at you patiently, hands folded on the table in front of him.

You opened and closed your mouth multiple times, completely flabbergasted. After closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you glanced around the area to make sure no one would hear you while you spoke.

Slowly, you started venting, keeping your voice low. You couldn't look at him for most of your vent. You didn't hesitate to complain about how he was the cause of a handful of your problems. You subconsciously rubbed your wrists as you talked about how you had been chained up in Kamoshida's palace and squirmed uncomfortably in your seat when you told him about the other day when Kamoshida was kind of touching your butt while walking you to class.

You had to stop multiple times and take deep breaths before you could continue talking. You hoped he couldn't read lips. If he could, you'd be absolutely fucked. 

By the time you were done, your shoulders were trembling and you felt more tired than when you began venting. You motioned for him to remove his headphones. He immediately groaned when he took them out and rubbed his ears.

"Oh my." He breathed, looking like he was in pain.

"Sorry for talking for so long." You mumbled, still unable to look at him.

"Don't worry about that. How do you feel?" He asked. You glanced at him. His eyes were focused on you.

"Tired." You sighed, threading your fingers through your hair. Akechi's eyes followed the movement of your fingers before he looked back at your face. He frowned slightly and furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"You don't feel any better?" He questioned, doing his signature little head tilt. One venting session wasn't enough. You knew you'd actually have to talk this out with someone, but you had no idea who. There weren't any therapists that knew about the metaverse. _Maybe if I twisted the story a bit, I could find someone to talk about it with._

"I don't know. I think this is one of those things that venting won't help." You muttered, unsure of what else to say. "Thanks though." You smiled over at him. "You're a good friend." You watched as he suddenly straightened his back and stiffened. His eyes widened and he swallowed quickly.

A frown made its way onto your face as the bell rang. You wanted to finish grading those papers you had. 

The both of you walked back to class in silence.

**Evening**

**Ren Amamiya**

**5:35 P.M.**

**Ren:** Hey Senpai. Are you busy?

I was going to go shopping in the Shibuya Underground Mall, but that won't take me very long. What's up? **:Y/N**

 **Ren:** Wanna go get ramen with me, Ryuji and Ann?

Yes obviously. You don't even need to ask. I can go shopping when we're done :) **:Y/N**

 **Ren:** Great! We'll meet you at the station.

Sounds good! **:Y/N**

You were practically vibrating from how excited you were. _Ramen ramen ramen ramen._ Makoto didn't show up to greet you, so you figured that she was able to leave early today. You hoped you would either run into her in the morning or after your tutoring session tomorrow so you could give her the present and sweets for her birthday.

You zoomed to the station to meet up with the Thieves. You couldn't believe that you had been invited to hang out with them now that they were friends with Ann.

"Hey Y/N." Ren hummed, twisting his bangs as you approached them.

"What's up, Senpai." Ryuji gave you a cheeky smile.

"Hello." Ann chirped, waving at you.

"Hey guys! I'm so excited for ramen." You were practically drooling. Ramen was exactly what you needed to help you feel better.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Ryuji chimed in, slinging his arm around your shoulders and guiding you to the subway. You giggled as you let the boy drag you to the train. 

"They get along well." Ann pointed out to Ren. 

"The last time we went to get ramen, they both got a second serving before I had even finished my first." He chuckled, watching as you two walked in step with each other, practically already best friends.

"He better not lower his arm any further or I'll put my claws in his face." It was hard to not flinch when Morgana spoke. You could finally understand him. _I'm going to have to be even more careful now. Maybe this was a bad idea._ You were worried that you'd accidentally slip up and reveal that you could understand Morgana like Akechi does.

"Shut up cat." Ryuji snapped, not even bothering to turn his head. You could hear Morgana hiss from behind you.

"Morgana-chan is so vocal." You laughed, bringing a hand up to your mouth.

You and Ryuji spent the entire subway ride talking about what kind of ramen you were both going to get. He made a bunch of suggestions for flavors and combinations you should try. They all sounded so tempting.

Ann spent most of the ride giggling at you and Ryuji. You both probably sounded like you haven't eaten in days. Ren just stood there quietly, listening to you both with a smile on his face.

You and Ryuji bounced to the ramen shop when you all arrived at the station, leaving the other two scrambling to keep up with you. It took a bit to get seats together in the restaurant since it was the end of the work day.

While you were waiting for your food, Morgana began speaking.

"Now that we have the route to the treasure secured, we should prepare before we go back in to steal the treasure." Morgana meowed from Ren's bag on the floor. _They've secured the treasure route? Fantastic._ "Princess?" Morgana suddenly said. You didn't realize that you were staring at him until he said that. _AH. Fuck._

You giggled and pressed your hand to your mouth in an attempt to cover up your surprise. The others were looking at you as well. "Shh Morgana-chan. You're going to get us kicked out with all that meowing." You reached down and scratched his head. Morgana closed his eyes and pressed his head into your fingers. "I still can't believe that you take him everywhere with you, Ren." You laughed as you looked over at him.

"He throws a temper tantrum if I don't take him with me." Ren chuckled, glancing down at the cat.

"I do not!" Morgana yelled, fur puffing up.

Your conversation ended there because your food was set in front of you. You and Ryuji didn't hesitate to start eating.

"Hot!" You hissed as you shoved noodles into your mouth. Ryuji fanned his mouth and panted as he ate.

"Idiots! Wait for it to cool down! You're going to hurt yourselves." Ann scolded as she watched you and Ryuji ruin your mouths.

"Yes ma'am." You and Ryuji mumbled together, only to glance at each other and snicker. You could hear Ren chuckle from his spot beside you. 

After waiting a few minutes, you began eating again. Of course, you both got seconds when you finished your first bowls.

"Goodness." Ann sighed, as your second servings were placed in front of you.

By the time you were all done eating, it was getting dark. Finally, you paid your tabs and left the restaurant, chatting about how tasty it was and how you wanted more.

"You gunna head to the Underground Mall now?" Ren asked you, glancing at you from the corner of his eye.

"The Mall?" Ann interjected, looking excited.

"I have to go shopping for a birthday gift for a friend, you guys can join me if you'd like!" You giggled, hoping that Ann would join you.

"I wish I could, but my mom is expecting me to be home soon." Ryuji said. You were pretty sure that he was just making excuses.

"My guardian was upset the last time I stayed out so late. I'd rather not get yelled at again." Ren sighed and shook his head.

"Looks like it'll just be you and me!" Ann quipped, walking closer to you.

"I suppose this will be a girls night then." You smiled over at her, a hand covering your mouth a bit. Ann perked up, a bright smile bloomed onto her face as she hooked her arm with yours.

"And they're already best friends." Morgana noted to Ren, still believing that you couldn't understand him.

"It's not surprising." Ren said lowly. "Y/N is easy to get along with." _Could they be any louder?_

It didn't take long to reach Shibuya station. Thankfully, there weren't that many people in the station since rush hour had ended about 20 minutes ago. You and Ann walked the boys to their train. Apparently, Ryuji was going to get his mother some curry for dinner so he would be going with Ren to Yongen-Jaya.

"Bye guys." Ann waved to them as they stepped onto the train.

"Goodnight Ren! Goodnight Ryuji!" You waved at them as well. They both smiled and waved back until your words sunk into Ryuji's dense brain.

"WAIT." He yelled as the door to the subway car closed. "Goodnight Y/N!" His yell was muffled by the doors. He was pressing his face against the glass and frantically waving at you both.

This time, your heart didn't sing. The world slowed around you and everything became grey. A certain voice spoke up, ringing around in your ears.

 **_I am thou, thou art I...  
_** **_Thou hast acquired a new vow._ **

**_It shall become the wings of hope  
_** **_that carry thou beyond what is thought possible._ **

_**With the birth of the Chariot Persona,**_  
 **_I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
_ ** **_shall lead to the truth and new power..._ **

Your throat tightened and your blood ran cold as you heard Lavenza speak, confirming that Ryuji had become a confidant. _Wait. Has this happened with Ren and Makoto as well?_

"Well. Shall we head to the mall?" Ann asked, turning towards you, snapping you out of your fear and thoughts.

"Oh yes! Let's get going." You responded, doing your best to look like nothing happened and you weren't panicking internally.

Ann dragged you from store to store, forcing you to try on different outfits and accessories. You didn't mind it though, it was a nice distraction from everything that's happened, plus you needed some outfits for non-school days. You tried not to spend too much of course. You barely made enough to pay rent. While you did still have some money leftover from whoever had put money into your bank account when you got here, you wanted to save it just in case something big happened.

Finally, you dragged Ann to the flower shop and bought some succulents for Makoto. You also got her that fountain pen Sae mentioned in the note. You considered buying yourself one to see how it worked. You've never used one before.

By the time you and Ann were done, it was completely dark outside. Bags lined both of your arms. _So much for saving._

"Thanks for letting me join you L/N-san. This was fun!" Ann giggled as you walked her to her train.

"Thank you for joining me." You smiled over at her. "We should do this again sometime. Once I've saved up enough money that is." You chuckled and looked down at your arms.

"Fair enough! Uh. I'll stop by your classroom tomorrow so I can get your number! I don't think either of us can reach our phones right now." She said, also looking at your arms.

"Sounds good. I'll see you then. Goodnight Takamaki-chan." You waved at her as she got on the escalator that led to her platform. She waved back at you as she disappeared.

You immediately dropped the bags you were carrying when you got into your apartment. Your arms were sore and red from the straps. After you threw the clothes into your room and wrapped up the plants for Makoto, you got to work preparing her some sweets. 

Recently, you saw a recipe for bee shaped cake pops. They were small, about palm sized desserts that looked easy enough to make. You figured that the most complicated part would be either cutting the cake into bee-like shapes, or putting on the frosting. You were excited to get started. You were going to make one batch that were chocolate and another that were vanilla. For the frosting, you were going to make buttercream, which also happened to be your favorite kind of frosting.

While everything was baking, you finished grading those papers you had to do and worked on some homework.

Carving the cake into the correct shapes proved more difficult than you expected, but you got by. You could give Akechi the weird looking ones. You knew he'd eat them, regardless of what they looked like. You finished everything at midnight, proud of the little bee cake pops. Before getting ready for bed, you shoved one of the desserts into your mouth and almost started crying. It was delicious. Makoto would definitely like them.

(Reader made something similar to these. [Click me!](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/0e/36/710e361681cbeca139c1eb0e3d6901f6.jpg) I don't remember where I saw it, it might've been on tik tok, but someone made little bee shaped desserts and i absolutely lost it, so i had to include them into this fic somehow.)

You put them into a container and wrapped it up so you could put it in the bag that held her other gifts. You couldn't wait to see the look on her face.

Crawling into bed, you let your mind wander a bit. _If Akechi ever finds out that I'm the one who shot him, how am I going to explain that? 'Sorry I shot you for trying to kill that pervert. I didn't know it was you.' I can't say that. What if he finds out I'm not from this world and knew about everything that has happened and will happen? He'll never want to be around me again if he finds out who I really am. What are the chances he already knows?_

You hoped you wouldn't have nightmares again tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter I was really looking forward to writing ;)
> 
> Just a random feeling I had while writing the first morning part of this chapter, but I absolutely cannot wait to write interactions with Maruki. I love him so much. He just wants to listen to your problems and drink his applie juice. How precious.
> 
> Readers arcana is.... drum roll please... Aeon! I was originally going to have her be World, however, the World arcana represents "the world's totality, the symbol of fulfillment, wholeness and harmony." As stated by the megamitensei website. As i'm sure you all have noticed, reader is absolutely not fulfilled, whole, or in harmony with the world she has been trapped in. Directly from the mega site: "A common theme for characters representing the Aeon Arcana is their attempts to fully understand themselves, as well as the world around them. In both of the Aeon Arcana's appearances, the Social Link characters in question were unfamiliar with the way the real world works, and struggled to discover their own place in this unfamiliar world." Your biggest hint to this being her arcana was her persona Artemis! Persona of the Aeon arcana are usually divine mythological beings :D Not to mention that our reader is in a new and unfamiliar world :)


	13. Cause for Celebration. Plus Feeding the Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKOTO!! While you can't spend the day with her due to having a meeting with the English staff at Shujin, you can still give her something special to show her that you care.
> 
> You've given Akechi the choice to join you to cook dinner. Will he help you cook? Or will he just come over to eat?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case anyone needs a refresher:  
> N/N = nickname
> 
> If you guys have any questions or want to chat, you're welcome to send me asks or dm me on tumblr :) I don't bite. I promise https://mage-ellie.tumblr.com/

**April 23rd. Saturday. Morning**

While your sleep hadn't been the greatest, you woke up in a good mood. Today's Makoto's birthday! You weren't sure if she had anything planned today. There was a good chance that Sae would be working, so Makoto would most likely spend the day alone. The least you could do was give her a present since you wouldn't be able to hang out with her.

You stared at the bag filled with gifts for Makoto. A giddy feeling rose in your stomach as you lifted the bag. You wanted to give it to her asap, but there was a good chance that you wouldn't run into her on the train. 

After eating breakfast and cooking lunch, you practically sprinted outside in excitement, ready for the day ahead of you. You couldn't wait to see her reaction.

"Akechi!" You cheered as you bounced down the steps of your apartment complex, heading towards the detective. His eyes widened and his mouth opened a bit as he watched you.

"Good morning L/N. You're in a good mood." He laughed softly as you stopped in front of him, looking up at him with a bright smile.

"Yes! It's Makoto's birthday! I hope she likes what I got her." You hummed as you looked at the bag you were carrying. 

"I'm sure she'll love it." He responded as you began walking together. Your eyes lingered on him as you walked, a thought bubbling in your mind. You had known Makoto's birthday because she was your favorite character, but you had no idea when Akechi's birthday was. Akechi raised an eyebrow at you, giving you a confused look because of your silent staring.

"When's your birthday?" You asked, not taking your eyes off of him. He flashed a quick look of surprise before his face went back to being neutral. 

"Birthday's aren't my thing." He chuckled, looking away awkwardly. From the looks of it, Akechi didn't like his birthday. You hoped he would change his mind and tell you, of course, you could just search for his birthday on your own, but it would be more special if it came from him. 

"Does this mean I'm not allowed to bake you a cake for your birthday?" You teased, slightly disappointed. Akechi glanced at you, his lips twitched upwards.

"It's not like I can stop you." He said softly, not taking his eyes off of you. _Is this his way of saying that he does want me to do something for his birthday?_

"You're right. You can't." You elbowed him gently and giggled. If he didn't tell you when his birthday was soon, you'd just google it. You didn't want to possibly miss it. He quickly exhaled through his nose and shook his head.

As you entered the school, you could feel Callie's glare burn a hole into your skin. Even while she flirted with Akechi, she was still staring at you. You had definitely made her mad. You wondered if she was going to start spreading rumors about you again. You hoped that they'd at least be creative this time. Knowing her, the rumors would most likely have something to do with Akechi. _Maybe she'll try to say that I'm trying to steal his money or that I'm in love with him. How boring._

You gently placed Makoto's present into your locker so that it wouldn't get damaged during the school day. 

Callie once again joined you on your daily trip to the cafeteria, clinging to Akechi for dear life. She seemed to be extra petty today. You glanced over at Kaylee and Brook with a look that said, "What the fuck?" Kaylee gave you a troubled look and Brook just shrugged.

"Did I break her?" You whispered softly to Kaylee, hoping you were talking quiet enough that Callie wouldn't hear you.

"I would have to say yes. You should've heard her during lunch the other day. She was talking about you nonstop." Kaylee breathed back.

"Fantastic." You groaned and looked over at Akechi, who had apparently been staring at you for quite some time. You assumed he wanted your help getting away from Callie, so you did what you did last time, and sneakily called him.

A soft buzzing sound coming from his breast pocket caught the other girls attention. He hastily removed his phone from his pocket and sighed. "My apologies. Work has been quite hectic as of late. I must take this. I'll see you in class L/N." He hummed and smiled at you softly before turning and walking away.

Despite Callie's blatant glaring, you just stayed quiet. You knew that if you called her out on it, she'd make it a big deal and probably go crazy. _Out of all people, why did I have to get stuck here with her?_ You sighed softly and hoped you could get away from her soon.

**Lunch**

"You owe me." You groaned jokingly as you walked with the detective to the library. You didn't like being left alone with the other girls. Well, you could handle Brook and Kaylee, but Callie was too much. Akechi chuckled and shook his head, his hair softly bounced as he did so.

"Oh? What would you like? I suppose you do deserve a little something for saving me from my fans." He smiled down at you, though, you could see the hesitation in his eyes. He still didn't trust you when it came to 'owing' you. You hummed softly and tapped your chin with your finger as you thought. _I didn't think I'd get this far._

"To be completely honest, I didn't think you'd take me seriously. I was joking, for the most part." You giggled as he opened the doors to the library for you. "Oh I know. I would like to know the date of your birth, my dear knight." It's been a while since you've called him that. A smile twitched at his lips and he sighed.

"That's what you want? You could ask for anything from me, and you chose something you could get by searching on the internet?" He laughed, probably thinking you were crazy.

"Yup!" Was all you said, a soft smile graced your face as you sat in your spot at your lunch table, patiently waiting for him to answer you. He silently kept eye contact with you for a moment before he resigned to answering you.

"June 2nd." He set his elbows on the table and folded his hands, then rested his chin on top of them. He watched as you took out a little planner and jotted down his birthday. You'd probably be able to figure out his favorite cake flavor by looking at his food blog. Although, you had no idea what you would get him for a present. He would probably want something with meaning or thought behind it, rather than just material goods. You have over a month to come up with something.

"Was that so hard?" You asked as you handed him his lunch, watching as he opened it with finesse.

"Yes. That was the most difficult thing I've had to do in my 17 years of life." He joked, seeming like he didn't want to talk about it any more. You wouldn't push the subject. He looked up at you, waiting for you to explain today's meal.

"For lunch today I made chicken and vegetable onigiri because I was craving chicken, a rolled omelet and fried rice with bacon, carrots and corn. Yes, I realize that's a lot of rice, but I accidentally made too much this morning." You laughed softly, realizing that he had starting eating halfway through your explanation.

"The chicken has a nice savory flavor and the vegetables are a bit sweet. The rice is nicely packed, making every bite satisfying. The fried rice has a lot of flavor. Most times I've had fried rice, it's usually seasoned very little. It's a nice change. Another fantastic meal." He hummed, smiling over at you. You thought you would've gotten used to his praise by now, but the burning sensation in your cheeks told you otherwise. You could hear him laugh at your mildly flustered state.

"Oh hush. I'm glad you like it." You mumbled as you began eating as well.

You both ate in a peaceful silence. You rarely ever made conversation while eating. Usually, Akechi was too busy attempting to make it seem like he wasn't trying to stop himself from swallowing the food whole.

"By the way." He began. "How are you feeling today? Better than yesterday I assume?" He hummed as he watched you put away the boxes and get out your homework.

"Yeah for the most part. I have a meeting at Shujin today that's probably going to ruin my mood, but other than that, I think I'm feeling better. Maybe venting yesterday did help." You mumbled the last part as you rested your head on your hand. You weren't sure if it did help, or if the excitement of Makoto's birthday was distracting you. 

"Well, I'm glad. Maybe we should invest in a pair of noise cancelling headphones. I never want to put my ears through that again." He sighed and rubbed his ears as if he had just listened to loud music. Your eyes widened and you froze up a bit. _We? Again?_ Your heart was pounding in your chest. He really did care. "I'll look into some good brands." He said before he glanced up at you. It took you a moment to snap out of your shock.

"That would be great." You laughed softly as you held eye contact with him for a second, heart ready to explode out of your body. "OH!" You gasped. Akechi visibly jumped at your sudden yell. You reached into your bag and pulled out a container of the bee shaped sweets you had made for Makoto. Gently, you opened the top and slid the sweets towards him.

A smile blossomed onto his face and he quickly removed his gloves. "How cute." He noted as he picked one up.

"These are chocolate with chocolate frosting and these are vanilla with buttercream." You explained as he examined the dessert. You watched as he delicately took a bite and closed his eyes, that smile never leaving his face. You wiggled a bit in your chair, waiting for what he had to say. He finished it before he gave you his opinion.

"Well... I definitely wasn't expecting this." He began as he reached for another. "I'll admit, I've got a bit of a sweet tooth, so I've tried desserts from all over Tokyo. Even from 5 star restaurants. And yet, this is the best cake I've ever had. I'm not sure if it's because you can actually bake or if it's because it's homemade." He popped another into his mouth. Pankechi himself had just given you one of the nicest compliments you've ever gotten, though, you wanted to roll your eyes at the last part of his statement.

He made you a blushing mess once again.

"You think Makoto will like them?" You asked softly. His eyes immediately snapped to you.

"Absolutely I do." He hummed after he swallowed.

**Afterschool**

As the Shujin bell rang, dismissing the students from school, you scooped up Makoto's present and wandered into the halls. You only had a few minutes to find her before you would have to go back to tutoring.

As you ascended the staircase to the third floor, you spotted the student council president in question, talking to her teacher. You could feel your heart beat speed up as she bowed to her teacher, then started walking towards you. It took her a moment to notice that you were standing there. Her eyes immediately fell onto the bag that you held by your side.

"Good afternoon, Y/N." She said, coming to a stop in front of you.

"Good afternoon." You giggled as you lifted the bag and held it out for her to take. "Happy birthday Mako-chan."

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. You watched as she straightened out her back and heard her sharply inhale. She just stared at you, a look of surprise and confusion resting on her face.

"Wh- How-" She stumbled over her words for nearly a full minute before she gave up and looked down at the bag. She gently took it from you and went through its contents. She looked like she was on the verge of tears as she turned one of the succulents in her hand. She swallowed hard as she pulled out the container of sweets you baked.

"I baked those myself! Half are chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, the other half are vanilla with buttercream frosting. I probably went a bit overboard." You laughed as she struggled to comprehend what you've said and done.

"Y/N..." She breathed, still looking mystified. Makoto slowly lifted her head and walked towards you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders and upper back. You quickly hugged her back, trying to ignore the blatant staring of the nosey student body. She pulled away and dabbed her watering eyes. "How did you know it was my birthday? And how did you know what I liked?" She questioned.

"Google, and I got some help from your sister." You lied, laughing a bit as you began descending the stairs, heading back to your classroom. Obviously you couldn't just tell her that you knew the date of her birth off the top of your head.

"Sis helped you?" She asked, looking kind of confused, probably because you've only met Sae once.

"Well, your sister and Akechi helped me. I asked him to ask your sister for a list of things you might be interested in." You explained, smiling at her.

"I see. Thank you." She said simply, a small smile crawling up her cheeks.

"Of course." You hummed as you reached your classroom. "See you later." You waved at her. She nodded and gave you a quick hug before she walked off.

**Evening**

You couldn't stop the groan that escaped your lips as you walked out of the room that held your meeting with the English staff. That was the most boring thing you've ever done. You prayed that the next meeting you'd have with them would go better. Most of the meeting was spent telling you how to do your job, like you haven't been doing it for nearly 2 weeks. Apparently, they didn't like that you were so lax. The teachers wanted you to create extra assignments for the students who stopped by for tutoring, which you vehemently refused. You were there to help, not stress out the students even more by giving them more work. 

You were mentally exhausted, so you decided to head to Leblanc for dinner. _It would probably still be open, right?_

The bell above the door chimed as you walked in to the café. Sojiro, and Ren, who were both behind the counter, looked over at you. 

"Welcome back." Sojiro grunted, looking a bit pleased to know that you were becoming another regular customer. You smiled and nodded at him, taking a seat at the bar in front of Ren.

"What can I get you?" Ren asked, smiling down at you with a cup in his hands. 

"One house blend, and a plate of spicy pork curry please." You responded as you set your bag on the seat beside you. You wondered how good Ren's coffee would be, its only been two weeks since he arrived. 

"Kid, get her some curry. I'll make the coffee." Sojiro said to Ren. _Ah. Alright._ You giggled at the disappointed look on Ren's face. Once you had your food set in front of you, Sojiro announced that he was leaving and that Ren had to lock up after you left. Ren nodded his head in response. 

"I didn't realize that you worked here. Is that why you recommended this place to me?" You asked as he got himself a plate of curry and came to sit beside you.

"I don't just work here, I live here." He explained as he made himself comfortable.

"PRINCESS." Morgana yowled as he bounced down the stairs. You flinched and nearly dropped your spoon in surprise.

"Fuck." You breathed as you glared down at Morgana, a hand covering your rapidly beating heart. "I love you Morgana, but dear lord, you can't just do that." You laughed a bit as you took a few deep breaths. 

"I'm sorry." Morgana said, looking up at you with big eyes. You sighed and reached down the pet him before you sat back up and started eating. You glanced over at Ren, who was covering his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh at you.

"Har har. The cat scared me. So funny." You joked as you took a bite of your food.

"I'm not a cat." Morgana grumbled.

"It's hilarious." Ren chuckled. You couldn't stop the smile that twitched at your lips.

"So, why do you live in a café?" You asked Ren, looking at him a bit. You watched as he removed his glasses so they wouldn't get foggy while he ate.

"As you know, I'm a transfer student. Sojiro is my guardian. The only space he had for me was the attic of this café." He explained and nodded to the steps that Morgana had come from. Speaking of Morgana, he hopped onto the counter to participate in your conversation.

"I doubt that's true." Morgana began. It was hard to not acknowledge him while he spoke. You always felt bad ignoring people. Well. Almost always. "That old man just doesn't want you around."

"Can I ask why you transferred? Why does everyone call you a delinquent?" You questioned after you took a sip of Sojiro's coffee.

"Earlier this year, my parents were sued because I interfered with a man trying to harass a woman. He was drunk and he fell and hit his head, then tried to blame me." He sighed, a far away look in his eyes. You took a deep breath, trying to control your facial muscles. You were definitely frowning and you couldn't unclench your jaw. It's not often that you got mad enough to show it. You could feel Ren staring at you.

"That man deserves a punch to the throat. Ruining a random kids life because he couldn't get his dick wet." You growled, hands balled up into fists. "How pathetic."

"N/N..." Morgana breathed, surprised at your unusual display of negative emotion. The sudden feeling of a hand on your back made you stiffen. You looked over at Ren, who just had a smile on his face.

"Ren, how can you be smiling about this? You're being treated like a criminal for being a good person." You asked, searching his onyx eyes. 

"That stuff was shitty, don't get me wrong, but if it didn't happen, I wouldn't have gotten to meet all of my current friends." He explained, still smiling. You sighed and relaxed your body.

"You're too kind of your own good." You laughed as you continued to eat.

"You can say that again." Morgana chimed in. Ren just chuckled and finished his meal.

You squeaked as you stretched your arms out in front of you, stomach full of tasty food. Ren took your dirty dishes and placed them in the sink to be washed. Morgana took his spot on your lap and happily let you rub his cheeks.

"I should get going soon. It's late." You hummed as you pet Morgana behind the ears. He was practically jelly in your hands. _Not a cat my ass._

"I'll walk you to the station." Ren offered as he led you to the door after you set Morgana on the counter. "Are you coming Morgana?" You could hear Morgana's claws scratch against the countertop as he launched himself at Ren.

"So cute." You breathed as you watched Morgana crawl into Ren's bag. 

You bid Ren and Morgana a goodnight as you walked up to your subway. They both waved at you as the train pulled away from the station and headed towards Shibuya. Once you reached your apartment, you immediately got to work on your broken gun. You finally had time to tinker with it. You've been meaning to fix it for a while now.

A soft pinging sound from your phone caught your attention. 

**Goro Akechi**

**9:20 P.M.**

**Akechi:** Good evening! Sorry for such a late text, but are we still having dinner at your place tomorrow night?

Yes sir! If you want to help me cook, get here at around 5 P.M. If you just want to eat, get here at around 5:45 :) **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Oh, I get a choice? 

Of course. I mean, if you don't help me, I'll cry. But it's your choice :) **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Hmm. I suppose making you cry would make me a bad friend, yes?

Yes. Yes it would. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Haha! Well alright then. I'll be seeing you tomorrow at 5 P.M. Unless something comes up.

Sounds good! (I feel like I should mention that if you don't want to help me that's fine.

I won't actually cry and you won't hurt my feelings. If you just want to come over and eat

that's totally fine.) **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I'm fully aware. Goodnight L/N. I'll see you tomorrow :)

Goodnight Akechi! **:Y/N**

A dumb smile pulled at your cheeks as you stared down at your phone. You were excited to cook with Akechi again.

**April 24th. Sunday. Morning**

You groaned as you rolled around in bed. You had set your alarm to wake you up a bit earlier than you normally wake up on weekends because you planned on invading Kamoshida's palace again. While you and Akechi had plans later tonight, he still had the rest of the day off, so you were going to make sure that he didn't spend his free time trying to kill the first boss in the game. Not to mention that you wanted to get stronger, just in case you actually had to fight Akechi or the Phantom Thieves. You weren't planning on ever getting into an altercation with the Thieves, but you never know what could happen. You needed to make sure that you could handle taking on multiple people at once.

You also wanted to possibly meet Takemi. You needed a way to get healing items, and she was the best way to get them.

Slowly, you made your way out of bed and went about your morning. You packed extra snacks and water into your school bag so that you'd be mildly prepared. Food and water didn't heal you much, but it's better to have them than not at all.

Finally, you stepped out of your apartment and made your way to the station, planning on heading to Takemi's clinic. _She's open on Sundays, right?_

**Lunch**

The subway squeaked to a stop at Yongen-Jaya station. You were getting a bit nervous. You had the excuse you were planning on telling her down, but there would always be the chance that she didn't believe you, considering Ren was already taking advantage of her medicine distributing capabilities. 

You took a deep breath as you walked up the steps to her clinic and opened the door. She was sitting behind the counter, doing some paperwork. She lifted her head as you approached her.

"Welcome. My name is Tae Takemi, I'm the doctor here. How may I help you?" She asked.

"Hello. I was wondering if I could talk to you about getting something for stress relief?" You said, doing your best to seem like a normal student who was going to use them for normal things. She eyed you for a moment before nodding and walking around the corner and opening the door for you.

"Come in. Let's chat." Takemi said, gesturing for you to enter the examination room. You did as you were told and sat on a chair in front of her. "So, tell me about your stress."

"Alright. I'm a foreign transfer student. I originally lived in America. Currently, I'm living alone in an apartment in the middle of Shibuya. I'm on my own when it comes to paying bills, feeding myself and all that stuff. I'm an honor student and top of my class. I work as an English tutor at Shujin Academy. It's all becoming so overwhelming. I rarely ever get time for myself-" Takemi cut you off, which you were thankful for. You were beginning to ramble as you realized just how stressful your life really was.

"I see. That does sound very stressful. Do you have trouble sleeping at all?" She asked, now understanding why you needed them.

"Sometimes, though, most days I'm so tired I pass out immediately when I crawl into bed." You chuckled a bit. She nodded and wrote down something onto the paper that she had fastened in her clipboard. 

"How about headaches or any other body pains?" She questioned.

"I wouldn't say that I get headaches daily, but I do get them pretty often. My knees hurt, but that's probably because of my poorly made school uniform shoes." You laughed again. A slight smile graced Takemi's face.

"Alright. Here's what I can give you. A bit of a disclaimer, these are all medicines of my own creation. They've all been tested for side effects and they're safe for you to take, I thought I'd mention it since I seem to have a reputation around here as a quack." She explained as she pulled out a variety of painkillers and ointments for you. You bought a small bottle of a dozen Recov-R: 50mg from her as well as a singular Revivadrin, thinking it might come in handy should you need it.

"Thank you doctor. I really appreciate it." You smiled at her as you handed her the money. 

"Please. Just call me Takemi. Feel free to come back for a refill when you need it." She nodded at you. 

Suddenly, the world around you slowed and Lavenza's voice spoke up in your ears. 

**_I am thou, thou art I...  
_ ** **_Thou hast acquired a new vow._ **

**_It shall become the wings of hope  
_ ** **_that carry thou beyond what is thought possible._ **

**_With the birth of the Death Persona,  
_** **_I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
_ ** ******_shall lead to the truth and new power..._**

 ****_Haha. Shit._ The world resumed around you once again and you did your best to act like everything was normal. You bid Takemi goodbye as you exited her clinic, only to run into a certain leader of Thieves.

"Y/N?" He sounded worried. Morgana popped his head out of Ren's bag to look at you.

"Hey Ren. Morgana. What are you doing here? Are you okay?" You asked him, looking him up at down like you were examining his health. _What timing._

"Yes I'm alright. Stress mostly. What about you?" He questioned, getting a bit closer to you. 

"Looks like we're twinsies." You chuckled as you craned your neck to look up at him. "To be completely honest. I didn't realize just how stressful my life had become until recently. I heard there was a private clinic around here yesterday when I was heading to Leblanc, so I thought I'd check it out." You gave him a soft smile, hoping he believed you. He frowned and sighed.

"Kamoshida hasn't been bothering you, has he?" He suddenly asked. You weren't sure why you were so shocked at his question.

"Not recently thankfully. Somehow I've been able to avoid him." You answered, becoming nervous. You wanted to get into his palace as soon as possible, plus, Ren's questioning made you feel like you were being suspicious.

"Good. He'll get what's coming to him soon." Ren said mysteriously, a smirk twitching at his lips. Morgana's tail quickly went side to side as he got worked up at the thought of changing Kamoshida's heart.

"How cryptic. What are you planning?" You asked him as you raised a hand to your chin, an eyebrow slightly cocked.

"Ren." Morgana scolded, clearly not wanting him to explain any further.

"Oh nothing. I should get to my doctors appointment." He ruffled your hair like you were a child. You scoffed and rolled your eyes, fixing your hair.

"Hey." You said as he was reaching for the door handle. Ren froze, not turning around. "Please be careful." You finished before you turned and walked off. You hoped that wasn't too much. He was clearly up to something, so he shouldn't question your words too much.

Once you were out of his view, you practically sprinted to the station, hoping to catch the train before it left. You felt like you had spent too much time here. You hopped from train to train and breathed a sigh of relief as you got to Shujin. The front entrance was empty for the most part, just a few adults passing by, to and from their way from the station. You quickly entered the nearby alleyway and entered the metaverse.

You took the entrance that the Thieves normally took into the castle and began making your way through the palace from the beginning. You wouldn't spend too long destroying shadows, you needed to locate Kamoshida and protect his disgusting ass. A part of you wanted to join the Phantom Thieves so you could give him a piece of your mind when they eventually change his heart, but you knew you couldn't interfere in such a way. You've already messed up too much.

Your stomach was doing flips during your entire journey through the castle. Your legs trembled and you struggled to focus at times. Thankfully, the shadows in Kamoshida's palace were weak and dumb.

"Artemis!" You called to your persona as you took on an Agathion. Your persona covered the short hallway you were fighting in in a layer of frost as she casted Bufu.

"Hehehe. Zio!" The Agathion chuckled, doing its best to hit you with electrical shocks. You easily danced out of the way of the attacks thanks to Artemis boosting your speed. With one swift movement, you had the Agathion pinned to the ground. The tip of your weapon was pressed against its forehead. "Wait! Wait!" It cried, pleading for its life. "I'll do anything, just don't kill me!" It kind of reminded you of Kamoshida.

"The man with the black mask. Do you know if he's in the castle?" You asked, keeping your weapon drawn.

"No ma'am! You're the only black masked person here right now!" It squeaked, hoping that that was a good enough answer for you. Slowly, you backed away from it to let it go. "Thank you!" It chirped before it disappeared. You didn't think you'd have the power to negotiate with Shadows. _Maybe if I get better at this, I can quit my tutoring job and just grind for money in the Metaverse. These idiots are loaded._

If that shadow was to be believed, you could spend more time grinding. Although, you knew that Akechi was a sneaky guy, so you would have to look for Kamoshida eventually to keep an eye on him. For now, you'd grind up a few more levels, then hunt down Kamoshida.

Once you were satisfied with your strength, you made your way to the throne room, assuming that that's where he would be. Sadly, you were wrong. Kamoshida wasn't anywhere to be seen, which you should've expected. Akechi tried to kill him here the other day. You proceeded to make your way down the castle, hoping you'd come across him, taking out any shadows along the way.

You finally found the man you were looking for in the worship room. He was commanding his guards to destroy the ice that covered the room. You couldn't help but chuckle as you watched from the rafters. It looked like they had been trying to clean up your mess for quite a while. You spent the rest of your time in Kamoshida's palace trying to fix your gun.

Once 4:30 P.M. rolled around, you took your leave. You made a little progress on your gun. You managed to get the bullet unstuck from the chamber, now you just needed to figure out if you could fix the trigger. You had been hoping that removing the bullet would fix it, but not everything could go your way.

**Evening**

"Akechi!" You called as you made your way to your apartment complex. Akechi froze with his hand on the door. He quickly turned his head to look at you with a mild look of surprise.

"L/N! Perfect timing." He chuckled as he opened the door for you.

"Thank you." You hummed as you walked in and headed towards the elevator.

"I'm assuming you just finished running some errands?" He questioned, looking down at you as you entered the elevator.

"Yes I did. Were you stalking me or something?" You asked, giving the conniving detective a suspicious look. He smiled as he pressed the button to your floor.

"Stalking you sounds much more fun than what I was doing. I spent most of the day studying for our exams. I wanted to get a head start. They start on the 11th of May." He sighed, looking mentally exhausted. You grimaced slightly, knowing that you should probably start studying for them soon. "Did you have fun at least?" He asked, glancing at you as the doors to the elevator opened.

"I did! Once I finished my errands, or errand, singular, I explored Tokyo a bit. I finally got some free time." You lied as you led him to your apartment.

"Errand?" He sounded like he was interrogating you.

"I stopped by a private clinic to get some medication for stress. It's been eating me alive, not gunna lie." You mumbled as you put your key into the lock and opened the door.

"That's understandable. I'm sure you're still adjusting to your new life." He said softly, voice filled with pity. _You're not wrong._ You nodded slightly and you both removed your shoes. "So. What are we cooking tonight?" He asked you as he made his way into your kitchen.

"Ground pork with glass noodles which is usually served over rice and a basic cucumber salad. The ground pork with noodles dish is typically served spicy." You explained as you pulled your hair up into a ponytail and slid your apron on. He smiled and nodded.

"Any particular reason you chose this dish?" He asked as you got out the ingredients. 

"Well one, I'm craving spicy foods. Two, I miss my dads cooking." You admitted as you set the items on the counter and got out some pans.

"Your father is quite the chef I presume?" Akechi questioned gently. He sounded like he was hesitant to ask that question.

"Yeah he is. I learned everything I know about cooking from him, and all of my baking knowledge comes from my mother." You glanced at him and smiled as you got things ready. He looked a bit intrigued. "Oh." You said softly as you looked at him. "Give me a moment. I forgot something." You walked past him and towards your bedroom. He had his back facing you when you walked back to the kitchen. Akechi turned to you as you stopped behind him. His eyes immediately snapped to the fabric you were holding in your hands. You innocently held it out to him, watching as a mixture of shock and confusion lit up his face.

Slowly, he reached for the item you held in your hands and took it from you. He unfolded it and just stared at it.

"What do you think? It's simple, but we'll still be matching. Sort of." You giggled as you gazed at the black apron he held. The only other color on it was the white outline of a flower in the center of the chest area. Just like yours, it had two front pockets. You could feel your heartbeat in your toes. You were worried that he wouldn't accept it. 

He glanced at you with a hesitant look in his eyes.

"I bought it on Friday when I was searching for a gift for Makoto." You continued to explain, hoping he'd do something more than just stare. 

Finally, he lifted the neck strap over his head and rested it around his neck, then he turned around and held the straps behind his back for you to tie. You approached him and gently tied the straps, securing the apron on his body.

He turned back towards you, looking kind of nervous, like he wasn't sure how to react.

"Black is definitely your color." You laughed as you gazed at him, still internally freaking out because he's been silent this entire time. A smile twitched at his lips as he looked down at you.

"I suppose I don't hate it." He finally said. You gave him a bright smile as the worry in your stomach faded.

"Even if you did, I'd still make you wear it." You teased as you walked closer to your stove so you could begin cooking. He just chuckled in response as you turned on the stove.

This time, Akechi didn't do all of the work by himself. You let him watch you guess ingredient amounts, relishing in the horrified expression on his face. You tried to convince him to eyeball the amount of soy sauce needed, but he refused.

"Oh come on. You can do it!" You said, giving him a pleading look. You were surprised that he wouldn't do it, considering just how chaotic he really is.

"What if I mess up? What if I ruin the dish?" He suddenly gushed. His eyes widened as he realized what he just said and awkwardly cleared his throat. _Oh._ "My apologies, this is a new experience for me. I'd rather not give myself room to fail so soon." Now you felt bad.

You approached him and turned him towards the pan that held the cooking food. You wrapped your hands around his left hand and the bottle he was holding. He stiffened at the contact, but he didn't try to pull away. His skin was so soft and warm. Gently, you tilted the bottle and mentally measured out the amount needed. Once done, you took the bottle from him and gave him a pat on the back.

"There. Now if it's ruined, it'll be my fault." You smiled at him softly as you screwed the lid back on and grabbed another ingredient. You proceeded to finish cooking the meal since you probably went a bit too far with that. He just silently watched from a safe distance as you worked your magic.

Finally, it was his turn to add the final ingredient. The spice. "Come here." You commanded and held out a bottle of sriracha and a measuring spoon. "You can add it little by little. Make sure you stir it well and taste it after every spoonful." You said as he took the items from you.

You watched as he slowly added spoonful by spoonful, until he was satisfied. He glanced over at you with a slight prideful look in his eyes. You offered to make his plate for him, which he accepted and took his spot at your kitchen table. 

Once you had given him his plate of food and a drink, you sat in your usual spot and looked down at the food. You could feel his eyes on you as you took a bite. The heat wasn't much, it just made your mouth tingle a bit. You looked up as you chewed and made eye contact, then reached for the bottle of sriracha and poured more onto your meal. His face visibly paled.

"Not bad. At least I know how much you can handle now." You said as you turned your attention back to your food.

"I'd prefer if you never made spicy meals for me." He mumbled, clearly uncomfortable with your heat tolerance. You giggled as you lowered your fork before you ate the food that was on it.

"Relax. I can exercise restraint. If I can memorize recipes after eating the food once, then I can remember how much spice you're comfortable with." You laughed at the look on his face. He clearly didn't believe you. "It hurts that you don't trust me." You sighed in faux offense, putting a hand over your heart.

"It's not that I don't trust you." He began, catching your attention. "I just don't trust your judgement." He explained, which just made you laugh.

"You know what. That's fair." You giggled as you continued eating. A small smile twitched at Akechi's lips as he followed your lead and ate. 

When you finished, you placed the dishes into the sink to be washed later. Akechi slipped on his shoes and got ready to leave. He held his apron in his hands as he waited by the door for you to say goodbye. A smile crept onto your cheeks as you looked at it.

"Well. I'll be going now. Thank you for dinner." He hummed as he looked down at you, before turning and reaching for the door handle.

"Of course." You responded as he opened the door and began walking out. "Goodnight Akechi." He stopped and turned around to face you.

"Goodnight L/N." He smiled at you before he turned again and walked off.

Your heart was racing as you closed the door. _You need to stop forgetting that he's a murderer and you're a small and physically weak girl._ You were just so comfortable around him.

As you finished cleaning up, you took some time to think about a possible meal for tomorrows lunch. You also prayed that the Thieves would steal Kamoshida's treasure soon. Waiting for them was the most stressful thing in your life currently.

Finally, you crawled into bed and let the darkness of your room consume your mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Subtly adds a reference to The Office*
> 
> I'm not trying to make this a Ren x reader, but I feel like that's how the scenes with Ren and reader are coming off adhfaksjdhf. They're just friends ;;;
> 
> I just want Akechi and reader to kiss already >:( but that probably won't happen for a while ;; gotta take it slow hhhhh


	14. The Medal of Desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Thieves are finally planning on stealing Kamoshida's treasure. Will everything go as normal? Or have you already messed up big time?
> 
> What a strange day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm mostly writing this as a self indulgent fic, but all of your guy's comments really give me the motivation to post as frequently as I do. I love reading your comments. They always have me crying ;;; <33333 Especially those of you who comment frequently ;;; Complete sobbing mess

**April 25th. Monday. Morning**

You sighed softly as your consciousness returned. You felt so relaxed, having gotten a good night of sleep due to how exhausting yesterday was. At least it was fun, for the most part. You reached for your phone, wondering why your alarm hasn't gone off yet. Looking at the time, you realized that you woke up a few minutes before your alarm was supposed to go off. _Huh._

After stretching the sleep from your muscles, you got up and readied yourself for the day ahead of you. Since you had gotten out of bed a little earlier than usual, you had some time to make dessert with today's lunches. You wondered how Akechi would react if you made pancakes as a dessert. Your curiosity got the better of you, so that's what you made. For your actual lunch, you made crispy beef in a sweet and savory sauce with boiled green beans and rice. You also made two rolled omelets. 

"Good morning Akechi!" You chirped as you hopped down the steps of your apartment complex and towards the detective. His eyes widened a bit and he smiled at you, probably surprised that you were in such a good mood on a Monday morning.

"Good morning L/N." He responded as he turned and began walking with you in step with him. "Sleep well last night?" He asked.

"Yup! I actually woke up before my alarm clock. What about you?" You asked in return, glancing at him from the corner of your eye to see that he was looking at you. 

"Why yes I did. Thank you for asking." He hummed, a soft smile on his face as he looked away from you to pay attention to the road ahead of him. 

While you waited for your train to arrive, you and Akechi chatted about the exams that were coming up in a few weeks. You were stressed before, thanks to your chaotic life, but now you were even more stressed. You considered taking those pills you got from Takemi yesterday for their intended purpose.

A loud yowl that sounded like it was a mixture of your name and a meow interrupted your conversation. The sudden sound caused you to jump in fright and bump into Akechi. You swiftly turned, only to have a black and white fur ball slam into your chest. You yelped as the force caused you to fall backwards. Thankfully, Akechi was quick to react. He grabbed you by the upper arms and held you tight so that you wouldn't fall to the ground.

"M-Morgana?!" You squeaked as you held the kitty in your arms. Akechi looked just as shocked as you were. 

"Hey Y/N-Senpai." Ren mumbled as he approached you and Akechi. Panic immediately set in. You had no idea if Akechi would be able to understand Morgana at this point in time. 

"Good morning Ren-Ren." You smiled up at him, trying to act as normal as possible. 

"Ah. Is this one of the friends that you've mentioned?" Akechi asked with his hands still gently gripping your arms. You glanced at him and nodded.

"This is Ren Amamiya, and this is his cat Morgana." You said, squeezing the kitty a bit in your arms, earning a squeaky mew in return. "Ren, this is Goro Akechi." You finished, gesturing to the detective with a tilt of your head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Amamiya-kun." Akechi hummed, smiling at the transfer student. _Oh god. Oh fuck. Oh no. Why?_

"It's nice to meet you too." Ren nodded a bit, then turned his attention back to you. "Morgana, you can't go to school with Y/N." 

"But! Why not?!" Morgana cried in anguish. You paid close attention to Akechi during this exchange. He didn't flinch or acknowledge the fact that Morgana spoke, which you hoped was a good thing.

"Because she'll get in trouble and we have things to do after school." He said to the cat. Your ears perked up at that. _You're doing things after school? Does this mean the Thieves are going to steal Kamoshida's treasure? God please._

"I'm starting to think that you can actually understand Morgana." You sighed as your train pulled up to the station and Akechi finally let go.

"Does this mean you take the cat with you to school?" Akechi asked Ren, looking completely bewildered. You raised an eyebrow slightly. You couldn't put your finger on what it was, but Akechi sounded a bit different when he spoke to Ren.

"Are you going to tell on me, Mr. Detective?" Ren teased, a slight smirk sitting on his lips. Akechi just smiled back at him. 

"It's not illegal for you to take your cat with you, so I have no reason to get you in trouble." Akechi chuckled. You were cringing internally at this exchange. _This is so awkward._

"Get a room you two." Morgana said, also feeling awkward. Ren snapped his head to the cat in your arms, looking a bit flustered. You raised an eyebrow at him, pretending like you had no idea what was going on. You subtly glanced at Akechi, he didn't seem fazed by Morgana's quip.

Ren lowered his bag and held it out for Morgana to get in. You maneuvered the cat a bit to put him in, but Morgana just clung to you.

"No!" Morgana hissed and swatted at Ren's hands. _What is up with this cat?_ He quickly pulled his hands away so that he wouldn't get scratched by Morgana.

Ren sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh come on." Morgana just huffed and turned his head away from Ren, clearly not wanting to leave your arms. You looked up at Akechi with a confused look.

"I suppose bringing him to school with you won't be so bad. I'm assuming that he behaves for Amamiya-kun just fine. Plus you can give him back when you get to Shujin." Akechi said to you, laughing slightly.

"Yeah I'm sorry Y/N, but I think you might have to take him with you. He seems to like you more than me." Ren chuckled and twisted his bangs in between his fingers. 

You waved goodbye to Ren, feeling like this is all a dream. Akechi just laughed at you, causing you to look up at him.

"You look like you've shut down." He chuckled, a hand covering his mouth. He was talking normally now that Ren was gone.

"I feel like this isn't real. Are we in a dream because what the fuck is going on?" You said, shaking your head. Morgana cackled in your arms.

"Muwahaha." Morgana laughed. It took all of your strength to not flinch. You kind of wanted to drop him.

"You better not get me in trouble cat." You sighed as you opened your bag for him to sit in it. Morgana scoffed in offense.

"I believe the cafeteria sells tuna salad sandwiches for lunch, perhaps you could buy him one of those so he can eat with us." Akechi noted. You just nodded in response. _Morgana is kinda heavy._

You groaned internally as you walked into the school. It hasn't even been 15 minutes and your shoulder was already becoming sore from Morgana's weight. You wondered how Ren did this every day.

"Hey Akechi." Callie purred as she pressed her entire body against his. You watched him swallow and stiffen. "Can we join you for lunch? We need some help with our homework." She whined, rubbing her chest against his arm. _You're embarrassing yourself._

"Disgusting." Morgana whispered from your bag. You couldn't agree more with him.

"Scoot over Morgana." You breathed as you placed your books into your bag. 

"What do you have in your bag there Y/N?" Callie quipped. _Of fucking course. Did she hear Morgana?_ You glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow. 

"Callie, she obviously just put her books in her bag. What else would be in there? A child?" Brook asked, having enough of her sisters pettiness. _Bless you Brook._ Callie scoffed in response and pouted a little.

Both you and Akechi managed to slip away from the group of girls and headed to the cafeteria to get your snack and Morgana's lunch.

**Lunch**

"Carry." You groaned as you walked beside Akechi, holding your bag out for him to carry. Morgana had sat quietly in your desk during class, commenting on what was going on every once and a while. Akechi smiled down at you and took your bag. Morgana immediately protested.

"What is this? I don't want to be carried by the over glorified child celebrity!" He whined. You glanced at Akechi, who was smiling.

"I think he likes me." He said, seeming to be completely oblivious to what Morgana had actually said. The worry that's been filling your body was slowly fizzling away. 

"Aww Morgana-chan, do you like Akechi?" You cooed and stuck your finger into your bag to pet the kitty.

"No. I absolutely do not." Morgana hissed as he glared at you. You did your best not to laugh. 

Akechi opened the door to the library for you as always. Once you reached your table, he set Morgana down. The cat immediately hopped out of your bag and stretched his legs. You got out yours and Akechi's lunches, then pulled out the tuna sandwich for the cat. 

Morgana eyed the sandwich as you opened the packaging for him, not bothering to wait for you to completely open it before he began eating.

"Jeez. You remind me of Akechi." You giggled at Morgana as you handed Akechi his lunch.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, looking a little offended. He was tilting his head and furrowing his eyebrows. 

"Oh nothing." You smiled as you opened your lunch box. Akechi frowned slightly before opening his lunch. He then leaned forwards and waited for you to do your daily explanation. Morgana stopped eating and also looked at you.

"Curious kitty." You rubbed his soft head before you began telling Akechi what you had made for lunch. "Today I made crispy beef with a soy sauce based sauce. I made mine a little spicy. I added a tiny container of chili oil in your box if you want to add some heat to your meal." You giggled a bit. A smile lit up his cheeks. "I also made green beans, rolled omelets and rice. And for dessert, pancakes." He immediately straightened and his eyes brightened.

"Pancakes?" He chirped, carefully maneuvering the food around to get to the sweet breakfast cake that was being held in a ziplock bag so it didn't touch the other food. Morgana eyed the detective like he was crazy.

"You like pancakes?" You giggled as he opened the bag to eat them first.

"Yes I do! They're my favorite food." He responded as he removed his gloves then stuck his fingers into the bag.

"Those are supposed to be the last thing you eat." You sighed, but you couldn't stop smiling at the childlike excitement on his face. He stuffed one of the small circles into his mouth, smiling while he chewed.

"Moist and fluffy! Sweet and soft. Truly delicious L/N!" Akechi hummed before he stuck another in his mouth. You immediately became flustered. 

"I want one!" Morgana said, giving you a pleading look. You glanced at him, doing your best to remain calm.

"Are you begging Morgana? Do you want one too? If you want one, you have to finish your lunch first." You said, then glared at Akechi for eating his dessert before he ate his lunch. He smiled at you sheepishly as he finished the pancakes.

Morgana started to inhale the lunch you had bought for him and you started eating yours. A soft crunch from across the table signaled that Akechi was finally eating the entrée of his lunch.

Once you had finished, you gave Morgana one of your pancakes. He purred as he ate it.

"Not only are you pretty, and smart, and super nice, but you're a great cook as well! You're amazing, Princess!" Morgana meowed and he swallowed the pancake in one bite. You noticed his eyes were glued to you as he said that. It took all of your self control to not blush.

"Aww, did you like it Morgana-chan?" You cooed to him. Akechi chuckled at the two of you.

"You really like cats, don't you." He said. You nodded in response. Morgana huffed, flattening his ears against his head.

"Yeah. I have cats back at home. I miss them a lot." You mumbled the last part as you laid your head against the table and pet Morgana under the chin. He groaned as you called him a cat, but leaned forwards into your hand.

"I've never had a pet before." Akechi said softly as he reached out and scratched Morgana on the head. Morgana looked a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't try to pull away.

**Afterschool**

You set Morgana on the ground outside of Shujin when you arrived, hoping that he wouldn't get into trouble while school was still in session.

"Alright. You can find Ren on your own, right? I doubt you want to sit in my bag until school is over." You said to him, crouching down to be closer to his level.

"Yes ma'am!" He chirped in response, big blue eyes locked on yours. You just scrunched up your eyebrows and sighed.

"I'm going to take that as a yes." You mumbled as you stood and walked into Shujin. You could hear the soft pitter patter of Morgana's paws on the pavement as you walked away from each other. You assumed that he would wait for the others in the alleyway in front of the school.

As you walked into school, you saw Kamoshida talking with Principal Kobayakawa. The volleyball coach glanced at you as you passed them on the way to your classroom. You did your best to act like you didn't notice them. This was your first time seeing Kamoshida since you threatened his shadow in his palace.

Thankfully, you made it to your classroom without any disruptions. 

"Hey L/N-san. Did you hear? Some group called the Phantom Thieves are going to 'steal' Mr. Kamoshida's desires." One of the students said as you set your stuff down. You turned and glanced at him.

"Yeah! Look! I snagged one of their calling cards for you." Another said, holding out the iconic red card with cut out kanji glued to it for you to take. You approached her and took it, turning it your hand to get a good look. _I can't believe I'm holding an actual Phantom Thieves calling card!_ You fangirled internally. You were definitely going to save this.

"Thank you. They're going to make him confess his sins?" You questioned, trying not to sound excited. Everyone immediately began talking, wondering what it could mean.

**Evening**

As you packed up your stuff, you decided to check if the Phantom Thieves had finished stealing Kamoshida's treasure. When you pulled up the app, you noticed his name was still there and you could still enter his palace. You wondered if the Phantom Thieves were okay, considering the Kamoshida fight wasn't that difficult. It shouldn't take an hour for them to finish the fight.

You glanced outside of your classroom and took a deep breath, mentally preparing yourself to enter your tormentors palace once more. The world around you shifted and darkened, before everything settled. You quick traveled to the saferoom that was before the throne room. Once you exited, you were instantly swarmed by guards who had been summoned to help Kamoshida, the sound of fighting echoed through the crescent shaped room. _So they are still fighting._

While you could handle a few shadows at once, you were no match for the horde you were currently facing. Your speed only helped you so much when you were dealing with multiple Archangels and Agathions. Due to your grinding yesterday, you were able to out speed the Archangels, but you couldn't kill them fast enough. They protected the Agathions, which would cast Dia whenever their protectors would get low on HP.

You were quickly running out of steam, the Archangels hit hard and you couldn't concentrate on your fight due to the sounds of the Phantom Thieves struggling. You were slowly being overwhelmed. _Come on Y/N. Think or you're going to die._ You scolded yourself as you danced out of the way of an oncoming sword slash from one of the Archangels, only to suffer a jab to the shoulder from a different Archangels sword.

"Damn it. Stupid Agathion." You hissed as you watched it heal the Archangel you had been focusing on.

"Agathion?" It questioned, tilting its head a bit before its eyes widened and its mouth turned into the shape of an 'O'. "That's right! I'm not a slave to this man! My real name is Agathion!" It chirped, catching the other shadows attentions. "Human! What is their name?" It asked, pointing a finger at the Archangels who were now standing still. _Maybe they aren't that dumb._

"Archangel." You said, still standing in a defensive stance, not wanting to be caught off guard. The winged knights lowered their swords before one of them spoke up.

"Ah yes. I remember now. Thank you for helping us remember who we truly are." The Archangel said as it sheathed its sword and took a few steps back before disappearing. The other Archangels and Agathions followed suit, until the one who spoke first was the only one remaining.

"Human! Let me repay you by healing you!" It squeaked and casted Dia on you. Shock filled your veins as the green healing light surrounded you, closing the bleeding slash marks that covered your body. "Yay yay! All healed!" It cheered and spun in circles. Its aggressive demeanor seemed to have changed into more of a childlike one.

"Thank you." You mumbled, still in shock by the fact that you were able to make it remember who it actually was, but not absorb it like Ren was able to. _Could I still control it?_ "Hey. Could you help me a little more please?" You asked as nicely as you could. It turned to face you and nodded vigorously.

"Of course!" It said, voice filled with enthusiasm. You gestured for it to follow you and crept towards the entrance to the throne room. Peaking in, you saw that Mona was laying on the ground, unable to stand back up. Skull was holding up Panther and Joker was kneeling. 

"Can you heal them too?" You pleaded, holding your hands up in front of you to beg. It hummed in response and casted Dia again and again, healing the Thieves. They immediately began looking around to see who had healed them, but before they could look behind them, Kamoshida did a Tongue Whip, trying to attack all of them. They all dodged out of the way and focused on the fight once more. "Thank you." You breathed as you turned back to the Agathion. It giggled and bounced up and down before it disappeared just like the others had.

You sneakily entered the room and climbed to the second floor to watch the rest of the fight.

They seem to have gotten their confidence back because the fight ended in no time after they were healed. You knew you had to leave when Panther nearly hit the defeated Kamoshida with a blast of fire. The palace would collapse soon. Slowly, you began creeping towards a window.

"Before you go." Joker said, causing you to freeze. You glanced back at him, to see that he was still looking at Kamoshida. "Who's the girl with the black wolf mask?" He asked. You felt your blood run cold and your heart stopped. _Oh fuck._

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Kamoshida grumbled, then looked up at you. You screamed internally as you made eye contact with Ren, and with no hesitation, you slammed your body against one of the windows in the throne room and fell towards the ground. You could hear the Thieves scream at you, but in your panic, you couldn't make out what they were saying. You could only focus on the quickly approaching concrete and the adrenalin rushing through your body.

You slammed your needle into the side of the castle and slowly slid to a stop about six feet off of the ground. You were getting pretty good at using your weapon for things it wasn't intended for. The moment your feet hit the ground, the castle started collapsing. You didn't waste any time by walking to the alley and reentering the real world. Your legs and hands wouldn't stop shaking as you rushed to the station, hoping to catch a subway before the Thieves could get out of Kamoshida's palace.

 _You're an idiot. They're idiots. Everyone is an idiot._ You angrily thought as you stepped onto the subway, unable to stop your knees from wobbling. The other subway riders stared at you like you were crazy. You probably looked like a mess.

You fell to the ground like a limp noodle the moment you stepped into your apartment. Your mind was going a million miles a minute, wondering if the Thieves knew who you were. _They couldn't, right? It's just not possible. They haven't gotten a good look at me yet. Right?_

You took deep breaths as you tried to calm down. _It's not the end of the world if they find out, right? I can just tell them that I'm not interested in changing hearts and I was only worried about them._ You did your best to reason with yourself. You didn't want to have a panic attack on the floor.

After nearly an hour of laying on the floor and taking deep breaths, you felt like you could get up. You ate a small meal of fried rice and eggs for dinner, then showered and went to bed. You were both mentally and physically exhausted, unable to do more than collapse on your bed and let sleep take you away.

**Midnight**

"Wake up!" Caroline yelled, buzzing her electric baton in your ear, causing you to sit up straight. Your heart was pounding in your chest and your head was swimming. 

"Our master wishes to speak to you." Justine explained calmly, standing outside your open cell. Once the world stopped spinning, you stood and approached Igor, who was sitting behind his desk.

"Greetings child. It's good to see you again." Igor began. You nodded your head in response to him. "Today, you successfully awoke two personas, yet, you didn't form a contract with them. How interesting." He said. You just tilted your head, unsure of what he meant. 

"That's very strange for a wild card." Justine noted from her spot to your right. You glanced at her, unable to think of anything to say.

"It is. Normally, a wild card is able to seal a contract with the awakened persona and utilize their power. However, you didn't do that. While you did form some kind of bond, it wasn't strong enough to bind the persona to you." He was furrowing his large, bushy eyebrows, clearly just as confused as you were.

"What the heck?" You breathed and rubbed your temples. Igor had just confirmed that you were a wild card. _So, I can't get more than one persona?_

"What the heck indeed. I believe it may be a side effect of your soul not originally being from this world. You cannot form new contracts with beings of the Metaverse due to your souls not being compatible. Though, it seems like the beings are still willing to give you assistance, should you ask." Igor said, looking like he was thinking of what could possibly be going on.

"But I was able to form a contract with Artemis?" You questioned, hoping for some answers. Igor hummed as he continued to think.

"Many of us have the spirit of rebellion born within us. That spirit is personally connected to us. That is why you were able to form a contract with your persona, but not able to form one with the others. She came into this world with you." He explained to the best of his ability. You glanced at the twins. They both looked like they were struggling to understand what he was saying as well.

"Is... Is this the power you were talking about when we last met?" You asked, looking back over at him. He shook his head.

"The power of wielding multiple personas is a gift bestowed to all of the wild cards. However, each wild card has their own unique power. For example, the power of the third eye, or the power to cause the human mind to break psychologically." He said ominously, not explaining any further. "I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but it seems like we're out of time." You frowned at his words, having a dozen more questions you wanted to ask. He chuckled as he looked at your annoyed face.

Finally, you turned and walked back to your cell, laying down on the uncomfortable bed. You closed your eyes and did your best to fall back asleep.

**April 26th. Tuesday. Morning**

You groaned as you rolled out of bed. You didn't feel physically tired, but you couldn't stop thinking about what Igor said and how you had helped the Thieves take down Kamoshida. You were still mentally exhausted.

After you finished your morning routine and made lunch, you strolled out of your apartment to find the detective waiting for you in the lobby. You didn't even notice that it was raining until you looked out the front doors. 

Akechi smiled at you and looked down at your hands, searching for something. You sighed and turned around to go back to your apartment to grab your umbrella. Akechi slid into the elevator with you.

"Good morning." He chuckled as he stood beside you.

"Good morning." You hummed as the elevator doors closed.

Akechi stood by the door of your apartment as you grabbed your umbrella, patiently waiting for you. Once you had gotten it, you both traveled back down and headed towards the station.

Anxiety clawed at your nerves as you waited for your train at the station. You prayed that you wouldn't run into Ren and Morgana. You weren't sure if you'd be able to handle them right now. Thankfully, your train came before they showed up.

"Is everything alright?" Akechi asked softly, glancing down at you in the crowded subway car.

"I'm so tired. I couldn't stop thinking about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts." You chuckled awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

"Oh?" He pried, curiosity lighting up his eyes. "Who are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" You pulled out your wallet and handed Akechi the calling card.

"They're gunna make Kamoshida confess to his crimes!" You cheered a bit, kind of excited to never have to deal with him again. Akechi frowned slightly as he looked over the card.

"How are they going to do that?" He questioned, tilting his head slightly, causing hair to fall over his eyes.

"I don't know and honestly, I don't care. Having him confess will make it easier to put him behind bars, right?" You looked up at him with a bright, innocent smile. Akechi handed you back the card and smiled at you gently.

"Yes it will be. I'm... sorry I couldn't do more to stop him." He mumbled the last part, looking like a hurt puppy. You forgot just how expressive he could be in the game. 

"Don't worry about it." You bumped your shoulder into his arm, still smiling at him. "You were busy with other cases." Despite the fact that he tried to kill Kamoshida, you felt good knowing that he at least wanted to stop that pervert. He returned your smile.

**Lunch**

"Do you think the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are Shujin students?" Akechi asked you as you began your daily trek to your lunch spot. He sounded like he wanted to interrogate you.

"Possibly! Do you think that I've tutored them before?!" You fangirled a bit, trying to come off as excited about the mysterious Thieves. Akechi covered his mouth as he laughed at your excitement over the vigilantes.

"Are you already a fan of theirs?" He teased, looking down at you with a playful grin.

"Yes! I'm a fan of anyone who tries to stop the bad guys!" You giggled, a small skip making its way into your step.

"Oh? Does that include me?" Akechi joked, his grin becoming more of a smirk as he waited for your answer. 

"Well yeah." You chirped, smiling up at him with admiration. "You're always working so hard to solve cases, so of course I'm a fan of you." His attempt to fluster you seemed to back fire. A soft pink spread across his cheeks and he looked away quickly, awkwardly clearing his throat.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can be friends with a fan." He said, your heart stopped for a moment, but the tiny smile on his lips quelled your worry.

"Oh that's right. I never fangirled and swooned over you. Do you want me to do that now, or...?" You quipped, watching his smile widen ever so slightly.

"Ah yes." He said as he remembered your conversation about his fame that happened a while ago. "I would like you to do that now." He stopped in his tracks, just outside the main school building. Your mouth dropped open a bit in surprise. He was going pretty far when it came to teasing you today. Before you began squealing about him, you set down your bag so it wouldn't get in the way. Finally, you closed your eyes and took a deep breath, getting yourself into character. 

"Goro Akechi!" You squealed and lunged at him. You figured that you'd go just as far when it came to teasing. You wrapped your arms around his midsection and squeezed, pressing your face into his chest. You felt him stiffen slightly. "I'm s-such a b-big fan! Akechi-sama, c-could I get your a-autograph?" You stuttered as you looked up at him, still clinging to him. You couldn't tell if he was enjoying your dramatic act or if he hated it.

"I hate this." He said, confirming what you were wondering, a soft chuckle left his lips as he spoke. It looked like he was doing his best not to look at you. You cackled as you pulled away from him, trying not to wheeze.

"Too accurate?" You giggled, bending down and resting your hands on your knees, trying to catch your breath.

"Way too accurate." He laughed, still not looking at you. You were beginning to worry that you went too far.

"Sorry." You laughed softly as you grabbed your bag, now feeling a bit awkward.

"No need to apologize. I asked for it. I never realized how good of an actress you were." He said, trying to relieve the obvious tension. 

"I wouldn't say I'm an actress. It's just easy to recreate something that I've seen way too much of in the past few weeks." You responded as you both began walking again.

"Fair enough." He hummed, finally looking at you.

You handed Akechi his lunch box once you reached your table in the library. He wasted no time opening it and scanning the contents. You were starting to wonder if he ate breakfast, or if he just came to school hungry.

"So, for lunch I made lemon pepper chicken wings which have a sprinkle of parmesan on them. A salad with tomatoes and carrots, and lastly, celery sticks. Oh, and there's a container of ranch." You explained, watching as he practically ripped off his gloves and started eating. _Goodness._

"The chicken is a little tangy thanks to the lemon and the cheese. The pepper gives it a nice kick. The chicken itself is moist and the skin is ever so slightly crispy. Well done." Akechi hummed as he set down a bone and picked up another wing. Your heart fluttered a bit and a smile crept onto your cheeks as you continued to eat.

Once you finished your lunch, you and Akechi both began studying for the exams that were a few weeks away. You weren't surprised to find that Akechi was an incredible study partner. He was organized and already had a bunch of flash cards and materials he could use to study. Of course, he let you borrow them when you needed them.

"Do you think the Phantom Thieves of Hearts will force more criminals to confess to their crimes?" Akechi suddenly asked, causing you to look up at him. You hummed and put a finger to your chin to make it seem like you were thinking.

"I'm not really sure. To be honest though, it would be nice if they did. I don't want anyone to have to suffer at the hands of terrible people." You frowned a bit as you spoke. "What about you?"

"I am unsure as well, and I agree. It would be nice if they focused purely on criminals." He said, clearly contemplating the matter.

"You make it sound like they're going to go after more than just criminals..." You trailed off. _Is he already thinking of saying they're the ones behind the psychotic breakdowns?_ He looked at you for a moment before he started speaking again.

"That calling card you showed me, was that the only clue they left?" He asked, holding his hand out, gesturing that he wanted to see it again. You pulled it out of your wallet and handed it to him.

"Clue? From what I understand, they stapled a whole bunch of calling cards to the bulletin board in the front entrance. At least, that's what one of the students I tutor told me." You explained, wondering what he was thinking.

"So they gave no indication of how they were actually going to make Kamoshida confess?" He questioned, gaze fixed on the words of the calling card. It was starting to sound like he was interrogating you. You just shook your head.

"Are you thinking they might be blackmailing Kamoshida or something?" You tilted your head a bit as you questioned him right back.

"This may sound a bit crazy, but I believe they're doing something far more... supernatural, in order to 'steal away his desires.'" He said with complete confidence. You giggled a bit, making it seem like what he had just said was far-fetched. He sighed, a disappointed look crossing his face.

"Sorry. That did sound crazy." You shook your head a bit before you continued. "What do you mean when you say 'supernatural?'" You asked, giving him your full attention since you kind of felt bad for laughing at him. He leaned forwards and rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands.

"I'm not quite sure yet." He sighed once again as he rested his chin on his hands. You frowned a bit, feeling like he had just shut himself off from you.

"I doubt that." You said, catching his attention. His maroon eyes locked onto yours. "Is it because I laughed at you? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." You mumbled a bit sheepishly. It was obvious that he had more to say about the situation. He swallowed before he opened his mouth.

"It's fine. I expect an apology dinner from you some time this week." He joked, making you smile and nod vigorously in response. "A few years ago, there was a woman studying cognitive psience." _Wakaba Isshiki..._ "She believed that our cognitive minds existed in their own plane of reality. She... never got to finish her research..." Akechi trailed off. His eyes glazed over and unfocused for a moment, only to focus again in a split second. "What I'm saying is, there's a possibility that these Phantom Thieves are utilizing the cognitive world in order to steal a persons desires." He finished, still keeping eye contact with you.

"Fascinating." You gushed. The cognitive world was something you were genuinely interested in. "If they are using the cognitive world, how would you catch them? Is there a way into the world?" You asked.

"This time, I'm truly not sure. We won't be able to find out more unless they force more people to confess to their crimes." Akechi sighed right before the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. You both packed up your stuff and headed back to class.

**Evening**

"Hey Mako-chan!" You chirped as she walked into your classroom. It's been a while since you've seen your best friend. 

"Good evening, N/N-chan." She hummed, catching you by surprise a bit. A bright smile covered your cheeks at your new nickname. Once you cleaned off the chalk board you walked with Makoto towards the entrance of the school. "I suppose you heard what happened yesterday." She sighed, sounding completely exhausted. 

"Yeah. I wonder what's going to happen to Kamoshida." You responded, knowing full well what's going to happen.

"We'll just have to wait and see I guess." Makoto mumbled a bit. You glanced at her from the corner of your eye.

"Long day?" You chuckled a bit, earning a nod in response.

"The Principal refused to let me leave his office until he had finished venting his worries. I was in there for over an hour." She groaned and rubbed the side of her head like she had a headache.

"Yikes. He couldn't have gone to an adult to talk about it?" You cringed at the thought of having to sit through an hour long, unwanted vent.

"That's what I'm wondering." She shook her head as you both exited the school. "Would you be interested in getting dinner with me?" She asked, giving you a tired smile.

"I've got a better idea." You smiled back, not giving her any hints. You led her to Shibuya station, then to your apartment complex. She gave you a perplexed look as you both entered the elevator and rode it to your floor. Once you opened the door to your apartment and let her in, you finally spoke.

"Welcome to my humble abode." You said, gesturing to the space around you. She still looked confused as to why you had led her here. "I'm going to cook for you." You sighed, slightly disappointed that she didn't pick up what you were putting down.

"Oh. That sounds nice actually. It's been a while since anyone has made me a homecooked meal." She responded with a bit of enthusiasm as she walked further into your apartment. "Sis is often too busy to work, so I'm on my own when it comes to dinner." She explained, causing your heart to tighten a little.

"Let me get dinner started, then I'll give you a tour." You offered and walked into your kitchen. Makoto took a seat at your kitchen table as she waited for you. You pulled the last of the chicken you had out of the fridge and got out some pans and a pot. You'd make Makoto creamy tuscan chicken tonight. Once you started heating up a pot of water and started cooking the bacon, you began your tour. 

Makoto seemed to take a great interest in your apartment. She asked a handful of questions as you showed her around. Like what it was like having to pay rent and if you enjoy living alone like this. You explained that rent was stressful, even though you haven't even paid your first bill yet, and living alone wasn't too bad. You would've preferred having a roommate, or a pet to keep you company. When you finished, you continued to cook dinner. Makoto made herself comfortable on your couch and watched TV while she waited. 

When the bacon finished cooking, you seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, then placed it in the same pan that cooked the bacon. You also placed the fettuccine noodles in the water once it came to a boil. 

After everything was cooked, you began making the sauce with heavy cream, tomatoes and garlic, then you added the spinach. Once the spinach had wilted, you mixed everything together and added parmesan cheese to the top.

"It's done!" You announced as you got some plates from your cabinet. "Sit down, I'll make your plate." You commanded, your motherly instincts revealing themselves. Makoto chuckled and took a seat like you told her to.

"Thank you for the food." She hummed as you placed her meal in front of her with a glass of water. You nodded in response and took your seat. 

"Mmm! I can see why Akechi-kun likes your cooking so much. This is amazing." She praised, though, her words made you furrow your eyebrows.

"How do you know that he likes my cooking so much?" You questioned. 

"Have you seen his food blog? He's only been posting the meals you've made him for the past two weeks." She explained before she continued eating. _Really?_ You haven't looked at his blog in a while.

As you both ate, you talked about upcoming exams. Apparently, Shujin had exams on the same days that you did. You both also complained about your stressful lives. 

"The most stressful thing in my life right now is one of the girls who transferred here with me." You sighed as you twirled some pasta onto your fork. Makoto raised an eyebrow a bit. "Please excuse my language, but she's such a bitch. I'm pretty sure she's starting to spread rumors about me at school and she's such an asshole to me, especially when it comes to anything dealing with Akechi." You groaned, shoving the noodles into your mouth.

"Is she jealous of you?" Makoto asked, intrigue coloring her crimson eyes. You took a moment to chew and swallow before you answered her.

"I'm assuming she is. One of the other transfer students told me that Callie was probably already falling in love with Akechi." You grumbled, annoyed at the thought.

"Is there something wrong with her falling in love with him?" She questioned, sounding like she was accusing you of something.

"No. What's wrong is that she clearly makes him uncomfortable and he's just too nice to say anything about it. I can't tell you how many times she's clung to him in the hallways and how I've had to bail him out nearly every time. It's so awkward." You laughed a bit.

"So you aren't jealous that she's trying to get his attention?" She looked like she was smirking, but you couldn't tell since she delicately placed a piece of chicken into her mouth.

"Not really. I'm just worried about him since he doesn't seem to be capable of telling people 'no.'" Makoto just hummed at your response, almost like she didn't believe you. "What? Do I sound jealous?" You asked, genuinely curious.

"Only a little." She giggled before she scooped the rest of her food onto her fork and ate it. You groaned and sat back in your chair, staring at the empty plate in front of you.

"I don't mean to." You mumbled, playing with your fork. She laughed at your childishness.

"You two do seem to spend a lot of time together. So it's only natural that you'd feel that way." She said, causing you to glance back up at her.

"That way?" You asked, feeling confused.

"You do have feelings for him, don't you?" She raised an eyebrow at you. Your cheeks immediately felt hotter and your mind became a jumbled mess.

"Wh-" You squeaked in surprise. "We're just friends." You said, still completely flustered.

"Sure you are." Makoto hummed as she stood from her seat and took your plates to the sink. You stuttered and stumbled over your words as you tried to think of a response. You've never thought of Akechi in that way before. Eventually, you just gave up and helped Makoto clean up. 

You gave her a tupperware full of leftovers so she could have something for lunch tomorrow, or she could give it to her sister.

"Thank you for dinner. Goodnight." Makoto gave you a hug as she spoke.

"Of course. Goodnight!" You responded, hugging her back and waving as she walked to the elevator.

After a quick shower, you crawled into bed, ready to pass out. You were sure that you didn't have those kinds of feelings for Akechi, but now that Makoto brought it up, you were worried that you'd start seeing him in a different light. You prayed that you'd never be more than friends with the faux detective. You weren't sure if your heart would be able to handle falling in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert eyes emoji*
> 
> So, Ren doesn't have a set birthdate. Do you guys care if I make up a birthdate for him so he can have a cute birthday scene with reader?


	15. Into the Depths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After overhearing a horrific conversation while in the restroom at school, and knowing that your detective friend couldn't handle the case on his own, you knew what you needed to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus. I've only written 15 chapters and this book is already at 100k words?! How??? How are we still in April?? What?? Someone stop me from writing so much for each day hfaksdjfhlkd
> 
> Uhhh btw. I've been thinking. How would you guys feel if I made a discord server of some kind where we can chat and interact? I can post teasers for chapters and we can share art/writing and gush over persona 5 lmao. The server won't strictly be about this book or persona. More of a hang out spot ;;
> 
> Also, fair warning. Heavy topics in this chapter. Persona 5 is a dark game.

**April 27th. Wednesday. Morning**

You reached for your phone as your alarm rang, feeling strangely warm and fuzzy inside. You couldn't remember what you were dreaming about exactly, but you had a feeling that it had something to do with Akechi. A soft groan escaped your lips as you rolled over multiple times, trying to get the flustered feelings out of your mind. _I don't like him like that. Thanks, Makoto. You've ruined my mind._

You dropped to the floor and slithered to the bathroom, washing your face a little more aggressively than you normally do in the mornings. The warm water felt nice against your skin. 

As you began prepping for your breakfast and lunches, you quickly realized that you were running low on food. You'd need to take another trip to the grocery store soon. While your meals were cooking, you jotted down some items you would need to buy, planning out your meals for the next week or so. 

After eating eggs and fruit for breakfast, you packed the lunches and placed them in your bag, ready to get the day over with. You made sure to check the weather today, since you didn't want to forget your umbrella and have to go back for it again.

Once you reached the front entrance, you opened the door and spotted the brunette celebrity at the bottom of the stair case. He had his eyes glued to his phone, a slight frown on his lips. The only thing you felt when you said Akechi was happiness. It felt the same as the last time you saw him. _See. I don't have feelings for him. He's just a friend. Everyone gets happy to see their friend, right?_

"Good morning, Akechi." You said softly, trying not to scare him. He quickly snapped his head to the side to look at you and turned off his phone.

"Good morning, L/N." He responded, giving you a weirdly charming smile.

"Is everything okay?" You asked as you both began walking together. He stared at you for a moment before looking away.

"I was supposed to have the day off tomorrow, but it looks like that won't be happening. My boss just assigned another case to me." He sighed, eyes glazing over and dulling before he blinked and the expression was gone. You frowned a bit, not taking your eyes off of Akechi.

"Does this mean that we won't be having dinner together this week?" You asked, feeling bad for him. He took a quick glance at you before returning his eyes to the sidewalk in front of him.

"I'm sorry. We're going to have to reschedule." He sighed, looking more than just a little disappointed.

"Well, I guess it'll give me more time to plan the meal." You mumbled, feeling kind of disappointed as well. You enjoyed the detectives presence.

"I'm expecting a grandiose meal then. Better than anything you've ever created." He gave a soft chuckle, finally giving you a little smile.

"I'll see what I can do." You giggled, returning his smile as you entered the station.

Ichiryu had a strange air to it today. It was tense and made your skin crawl. A familiar sense of danger and disgust washed over you, similar to how you felt around Kamoshida. You subconsciously started walking closer to Akechi, anxiety clawing at your muscles, telling you to turn around and just go home. You couldn't help but notice that there were people whispering among themselves, not bothering to look at you and the detective.

"Hey." Kaylee whispered as you approached your locker and the group of Akechi's fangirls. It's been a while since you've talked to her.

"What's going on?" You asked, whispering as well, unsure of why everyone was so quiet.

"I'm honestly not sure. There's a rumor going around about some boy I've never heard of, though, I don't know what it's about." She mumbled, giving you a confused look. You both glanced at Brook, she just shrugged in response, not sure of what's going on either. You furrowed your eyebrows, something terrible had definitely happened.

Once you had gotten your books, you slipped away from Akechi's obsessive fans.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" You asked Akechi as you both began walking to the cafeteria, still walking a little closer to him than usual.

"No I don't. Although, I believe the problem will come to light soon." He said, not moving away from you.

After you got your snack, you both made your way to class, listening closely to the quiet conversations people were having. Despite your best efforts, you couldn't make out what any of them were saying. As you approached the girls restroom on the floor your class was on, you spoke up.

"I'm gunna go to the restroom, you can head to class without me." You said, hoping to have a moment alone so you could breathe. Akechi gave you a worried look. His eyebrows were furrowed and he had a small frown on his lips. You just shook your head, trying to dismiss any worries he may have, and walked in, locking yourself in one of the stalls.

**Warning: Heavy topic. Rape.**

"Did you hear about Takuji-kun?" A feminine voice said as she entered the restroom with another girl. _Takuji? That name sounds familiar._

"No I haven't. Is that who everyone's been talking about?" Another voice said as they both stopped in front of the mirror to fix their makeup.

"Okay so. Apparently, Takuji-kun was caught trying to have sex with his little stepsister. His girlfriend had gone over to his house to surprise him or something, and she found him on top of his sister, covering her mouth with his hand!" The girl said, talking like this was nothing more than boy drama. You immediately felt sick. Bile rose in your throat and your stomach churned.

"Ew what? The student council president would never do that! His girlfriend must be seeking attention or something." The other girl responded. _So that's where I've heard his name from. Wait. Isn't Takuji-kun in my class?_

"Apparently, she has pictures! I bet she's going to use them to blackmail Takuji-kun." The first girl said as the two began to exit the restroom. You couldn't hear the other girls response.

It took all of your self control not to vomit. That's one of the most horrific things you've ever heard. No wonder why you felt so disgusted when you entered the school. There was another predator running around. 

The bell rang before you could fully collect yourself. You slowly shuffled back to class, mind a jumbled, horrified mess. You made eye contact with Akechi as you entered, who immediately frowned in response and narrowed his eyes, probably wondering if you were going to have a panic attack.

**Lunch**

Your walk to the library was silent. It was uncomfortable and tense. Akechi was either waiting for you to start explaining what happened, or he didn't know how to ask you what happened.

You both quietly took your seats and you handed him his lunch box. You could barely open your bento without feeling the need to gag. You weren't sure if you would be able to eat.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Akechi asked a bit awkwardly, unsure of how to go about this. You took a moment to think before you responded.

"Have you heard about what everyone's been talking about today?" You answered his question with a question of your own. He just shook his head, chestnut hair bobbing from side to side. "I overheard two girls talking about it in the restroom. They're just rumors, but apparently, Osaki Takuji, the student council president, was caught trying to rape his little sister by his girlfriend." You shivered as you spoke, feeling like ice was running through your veins. 

"Those are some serious accusations." Akechi responded lowly, clearly just as disgusted as you were. "Does she have any evidence?" He asked.

"From what I heard, she has pictures, but that could also just be a rumor." You mumbled, rubbing your face. Akechi exhaled and looked like he was thinking. He was resting his forehead against his hands which were folded in front of him, elbows perched on the table. He was tapping his two index fingers together. "Maybe we should give his name to the Phantom Thieves." You joked in an attempt to make yourself feel better, smiling slightly. He raised his head to look at you and your smile immediately faltered. Your shoulders slumped and you hung your head, a soft sigh leaving your lips. "Sorry." You breathed.

Akechi made some kind of choked noise of surprise, having never seen you so upset before. "I-It's okay." He stuttered awkwardly, catching you by surprise. He quickly closed his lunch box and stood from his spot. "I'm going to hunt down Sumisu Hikaru, Takuji-kuns girlfriend. Stay here and take deep breaths. I'll be back soon." And with that, he was off to find out if she actually had evidence.

While you waited for Akechi, you attempted to do some homework. You knew you'd have to go back over it at a later date since you were halfassing the answers, but you were doing your best to distract yourself. It felt like it was taking Akechi ages to get back, when in reality, it had only taken him a little over 20 minutes to return.

When he sat in front of you, he had an unreadable expression on his face. You tilted your head ever so slightly as he leaned forwards.

"Well. I found Hikaru-san. I asked to speak to her privately and asked her to show me the pictures." He began, voice low. It almost sounded like he was angry. "She refused, saying that she wanted to speak to an attorney before talking to me about what had happened." He finished. _What the fuck?_ You frowned as you took in the information.

"That's... kind of suspicious. Does she have something to hide? You're a detective trying to get information on a rapist, why wouldn't she show you the photos?" You questioned, leaning in as well.

"All good questions. I believe, and this is purely hypothetical, that it's because she doesn't have any photos." He responded, tapping one of his fingers against the table. Your disgust and worry over a young girls wellbeing was slowly draining from your body, being replaced by anger.

"So she's falsely accusing him." You said bitterly. Akechi must've picked up on your anger because he gave you a soft look of sympathy.

"I can't say for certain, but her asking for an attorney definitely didn't make her look good. I'll bring up this matter with the other detectives when I get to work today." He hummed. You weren't fully satisfied with that, but you'd leave it up to the professionals for now.

"I'm sure you'll bring one of them to justice. I believe in you." You said softly, giving him a gentle nudge with your foot from under the table, watching as his eyes widened slightly and a smile crawled across his cheeks.

**Warning end**

**Afterschool**

As you were leaving Ichiryu, a certain accused student council president was standing at his locker.

"Ah. L/N-san. On your way to Shujin?" He asked when he noticed you. His deep brown eyes were red and surrounded by dark circles. It looked like he had been crying and was probably on the verge of crying again.

"Hello Takuji-kun. Yes I am." You hummed as you opened your locker and set your books inside. "I heard about what happened." You said, gauging his reaction. His eyes widened and he froze, stiff as a board. "Don't tell anyone I told you this, but Akechi asked Hikaru-san to show him the photos she supposedly took of you and your sister. She said she wanted to speak to an attorney before giving him any evidence on such a grim accusation." You glanced over at him as you finished putting away your stuff, surprise and what looked like relief seemed to wash over him.

"Don't tell anyone I told you this, but Sumisu has a history of being manipulative and toxic in our relationship. I broke up with her a few days ago and she started spreading awful rumors about me. I have records of her saying that she'd kill herself if I broke up with her and a myriad of other manipulative and harassing statements." He responded, looking into his locker like you weren't talking to each other.

"Perhaps you should expect to be approached by our resident high school detective for an interrogation later." You said as you closed your locker, hoping that Takuji-kun really was a good guy. You turned and began walking towards the door, passing the student council president on your way out. 

"Thank you." He said softly, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. You looked back at him and smiled, then left the building.

**Goro Akechi**

**3:53 P.M.**

Idk if this would be of any help, but Takuji-kun has records (text messages I assume)

that prove Hikaru-sans manipulative and toxic history. You might want to have a chat with him. **:Y/N**

Akechi didn't respond, but you knew he saw it. You prayed that it would help him possibly prove Takuji-kuns innocence. If he was innocent, he didn't deserve to be labelled as a criminal because of a toxic ex-girlfriend.

Once the Shujin bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, a familiar red head walked into your classroom, a small skip in her step.

"Yoshizawa-chan! It's good to see you again." You chirped, smiling at her as she took a seat at the front. "Sorry I wasn't able to help you that much last week." You cringed a bit. You had promised you would help her for a few days, but you had gotten busy. 

"Hello Senpai! Don't worry about it! You've got a life outside of tutoring." She giggled in understanding as she got out the work she wanted help with.

**Evening**

**Goro Akechi**

**6:00 P.M.**

**Akechi:** I've got good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?

Uhh. Bad news. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** It seems as though the other detectives didn't take me seriously about the Takuji matter.

What the fuck? What's the good news? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I'll personally be overseeing this case!

Akechi?? Didn't you just get another case assigned to you? Plus exams are coming up.

How are you going to juggle all that work?? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** No need to worry! I can handle this.

Is there any way I can help? :( **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** You already have. Giving me the tip about Takuji having evidence was very helpful. :)

If there's anything else I can do to help, please tell me. :'( **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I appreciate it. If something comes up, I'll let you know.

 **Akechi:** Oh, and before I forget, I won't be going to school tomorrow. I have to work.

Would you still like lunch? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** That would be wonderful. I'll meet you in our usual spot in the morning

and we can head to the station together. 

Alright! I'll see you then. Goodnight Akechi! **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Goodnight L/N.

Akechi could tell you not to worry all day long, but you knew that even he couldn't handle all of that work, so you knew what you had to do. 

Currently, you were sitting in your apartment, writing down the rest of the items you needed to buy from the store. You opened the MetaNav app and opened the target search tab.

"Sumisu Hikaru." You said out loud, making sure to keep your voice low.

"Candidate found. Please fill in all fields to begin navigation." The app responded. _So she does have a shadow. Please don't tell me she has a palace._

"Uhhhh. Mementos." You guessed, crossing your fingers.

"Distortion confirmed. Please fill in all fields to begin navigation." The app said, causing you to sigh in relief. Now you just needed to figure out the location of her distortion. _I don't know where she lives, so... Maybe the school?_

"Ichiryu Academy?" You asked, crossing your fingers once again.

"Location invalid." It responded. _Welp. Where does Takuji-kun live?_ You wondered, thinking that the location of her distortion might have something to do with him. You stood from your spot at the kitchen table and walked to the laptop that you've barely used. You opened it and typed in his name. _Jesus. You really can find anything on the internet._ It didn't take you long to find the address of his house. 

"Osaki Takuji's house in the Yoyogi residential district." You squeezed your eyes shut and crossed your toes.

"Target Confirmed. Tap to begin navigation." The app said, causing you to clap your hands in response. 

"Yes!" You cheered, standing up from your chair. The fact that you managed to track down someone's shadow like this excited you. You quickly bookmarked Hikaru-san's name so that you wouldn't have to put in the information again. Before you let your excitement get too out of control, you focused on the app once again. "...Osaki Takuji." You mumbled, your heart raced as you waited for the app to respond.

"No candidate found." It said, causing relief to rush through you. _So he is a good guy._ It was either that, or something had happened to his shadow, which you doubted considering how busy Akechi was.

You walked over to your shopping list and added a few new items to it. Magazines, paper, glue, tape, and blank business cards. You hoped the grocery store would have them. You wrapped yourself in a coat you had bought while out shopping with Ann and slipped on a fresh pair of your school uniform gloves. You couldn't leave any fingerprints, especially since one of your best friends was a diligent detective.

Your trip to the store was surprisingly successful. The only thing you couldn't find was the blank business cards. Instead, you bought basic index cards and some watercolor paint from the tiny crafts section. You wouldn't copy the Phantom Thieves calling card, but you would do something similar. Calling cards were a great way to make a treasure appear.

Once you got home, you immediately got to work. You wanted to make as many as you could so you could plaster them all over the lockers in the school so she wouldn't miss them. Plus you'd slip a few into her locker, just in case the calling cards were taken down before she could see them.

By the time you were done, it was about 9 P.M., so you cooked yourself a quick dinner and prepped for lunch tomorrow, then took a shower and prepared yourself for the anxiety filled morning you were about to have.

**April 28th. Thursday. Morning.**

You groaned as you rolled over and slapped your phone, turning off your alarm. You had woken up an hour and a half early so that you could get to the school, do what you planned to do, then get back so that you could walk with Akechi. You didn't want to seem suspicious by saying that you had already gone to school or something, and you knew that you wouldn't be able to give Hikaru-san the calling card if there were hundreds of students around. 

After you got out of bed and did your morning routine, you slipped on a dark hoodie and gloves, then grabbed your stuff and left. If you remembered correctly, the school opened pretty early so that certain clubs and sports teams could have meetings and practices.

Despite being the end of April, it was still freezing outside in the mornings. Goosebumps crawled up your arms as you pulled your hoodie over your mouth, shivering a little. You weren't sure if the shivering was because you were cold or because you were nervous. You were absolutely terrified of getting caught.

The trains were completely empty. You only ran into one other person at one of the waiting platforms, and he got on a different subway car. _The station is so eerie when it's empty. No wonder why Mementos is situated in the underground subway station._ During your trek, you kind of expected Akechi to appear out of no where again, but he never showed up.

Finally, you made it to the school. The front entrance was completely empty. The only signs of life were the sounds of a whistle blowing from the recreation area on the opposite side of the school. You checked around the locker area for a moment before getting out the tape and calling cards. You prayed that you remembered which locker was hers. It would be awkward if you got it wrong.

You were surprised that it didn't take you long to cover the lockers in cards. You made sure to put cards on everyone's lockers, including yours, and slipped three into Hikaru-san's locker.

You quickly packed your things, and fled the scene, hoping no one saw you as you entered the station. Your leg wouldn't stop bouncing as you sat on your train. _How did Ryuji do this? This is so nerve-wracking._

Once you got back into your apartment, you shook your entire body, trying to get rid of the jitters so you could start making the first two meals of your day. You ran your hands under some warm water, the soothing heat quickly calmed your shaking body. _Okay. You can do this. Don't act sus. You're fine._

Your breakfast and the lunches didn't take long to cook. You made a simple meal of miso soup with tofu and enoki mushrooms, you had been wanting to try the tiny shrooms, finding that they were pretty tasty, and a bowl of rice. For lunch, you pan fried chicken thighs which you had cut into bite sized pieces and sprinkled with salt and pepper. While it was cooking, you added sliced onions, mentsuyu (soup base used in soba), and water. Lastly, you added two beaten eggs into the pan and let it cook. For the side dish, you skinned and cut up a few red potatoes, sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then stuck them in your toaster oven to cook them while you made the chicken.

When everything was done, you stuffed the food into the boxes and prepared to leave after you put on your uniform. You put Akechi's lunch box into a small bag that you had, so he could carry it easily, then you left.

You immediately made eye contact with the detective when you exited your building. He smiled brightly at you as you walked down the steps, eyeing the bag in your hands.

"Your lunch, my dear knight." You giggled as you held it out for him to take.

"Why thank you! I'm excited to try what you've made!" He chirped, already looking like he was ready to devour the meal you had made.

"Can I asked you something?" You asked, squinting at him. 

"You just did." He chuckled in response, giving you a slight smirk. You rolled your eyes and threw your head back dramatically, receiving a more genuine sounding laugh in return.

"Do you eat breakfast in the morning?" You questioned, hoping that he did. Your motherly instincts wouldn't be able to handle it if he said no. A bashful expression consumed his features.

"Well... normally I eat an egg or two, since they're easy to cook." He said, causing you to sigh in response.

"You're a growing boy. Two eggs isn't a good enough breakfast." You scolded. _No wonder why he's so skinny._

"What are you going to do about it?" He asked in jest. "Start making me breakfast in the morning too?"

"Obviously. I can't trust you to eat correctly on your own." You laughed, smiling up at him. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open just a bit.

"You can't be serious." He said, not believing you.

"Have I lied to you yet?" You winked, knowing full well that you have. He just stared at you for a moment before frowning.

"You aren't doing this for free." Akechi responded, expecting you to want something in return.

"Of course not. Groceries are expensive you know. I expect you to start paying for half of my grocery bills since I'll have to start buying even more food." You smiled, watching his expression. He raised an eyebrow and looked conflicted.

"How... would this work?" He asked you hesitantly.

"You'll just have to leave your apartment a bit earlier so you can come over. I usually eat breakfast while our lunches are cooking. So you should get to my apartment at around 7:30 A.M.?" You thought out loud, tapping your chin with your index finger.

"I'll think about it." He hummed in response, a slight smile on his face.

You waved goodbye to him as you reached your stop, receiving a smile and a wave back. You would both be taking different lines from the Aoyama Itchome station.

The moment you stepped into the station after your final train ride, you felt an excited buzz in the air. The student body had definitely seen your calling cards. As you got closer to the school, you could see that there were still a ton of calling cards still taped to lockers and some were scattered on the ground.

"What the hell is this?!" A female voice screamed through the noise the other students were making. _Sumisu Hikaru._ She was definitely angry, meaning the calling card worked.

You walked up to your locker, furrowing your eyebrows and frowning, pulling one of the calling cards off. The group of Akechi's fangirls all groaned, seeing that you weren't walking with him.

"N/N, what the fuck is this?" Kaylee asked nervously, also holding a card. Brook and Callie also made their appearances. Callie was glaring daggers at you.

"This is a calling card like the Phantom Thieves use when changing someone's heart." You whispered. "This wasn't done by any of you, right?" You asked quietly, getting a little closer to them. The drama club would be head over heels for your acting abilities if they saw the act you were putting on right now.

"No it wasn't us." Brook mumbled, Callie just stayed silent. Kaylee shook her head.

"Okay. Does this mean that this happens without mention in the game? Or do you think there's another person from our world here and they got access to the Metaverse somehow?" You questioned, doing your best to look worried. You were pretty sure that Callie saw right through your act, but she didn't say anything. You took out your phone and took a picture of the calling card to send it to Akechi in order to keep up your act of having no idea what was going on. You knew that this could also potentially backfire. 

"What are you doing?" Brook asked, watching as you typed out a message.

"Sending it to Akechi to see what he thinks." You admitted, knowing full well that you just revealed that you had his number.

**Goro Akechi**

**8:20 A.M.**

Uhhhh. Akechi?! **:Y/N**

**:Y/N**

Akechi didn't respond, probably having just gotten to his place of work. You were pretty proud of your first attempt at a calling card. It wasn't great, but it was much more sophisticated and organized compared to the Phantom Thieves calling cards. They were so chaotic.

"You just casually have Akechi's number?" Callie finally spoke. 

"Yes." You said and grabbed your books, not wanting to deal with the aftermath of what you just said. From the corner of your eyes, you could see her face turning red and she was visibly bristling. _Nope. Nope. Nope._ You speed walked away, heading to the cafeteria.

**Goro Akechi**

**8:25 A.M.**

**Akechi:** Oh my... and on the day I don't go to school. Hmm... The Black Wolf...

Do you think that this person is a member of the Phantom Thieves? Or are they separate? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I think they're a separate. The calling card is much different from the Phantom

Thieves calling card.

This is kind of scary. Should I be worried? Do you think they're a student at our school? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** No need to worry. I'm sure you'll be okay. There is a possibility that they're a student

at Ichiryu. I must go for now, but if anything else pops up today, let me know.

Alright. I hope you have a nice day! **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I hope you have a nice day as well.

'The Black Wolf' was the first name you could think of. You felt like it was appropriate since you had already been seen by the Thieves and they knew you as the 'girl with the black wolf mask'. It might've been foolish of you, but you were kind of hoping that the Thieves would hear about your good deed and know that you weren't a bad guy.

**Lunch**

You stared at your lunch, feeling strangely lonely. You never realized how used you had gotten to being around Akechi until today. You wondered if he felt lonely too.

Your lunch time was filled with silence until someone approached you and cleared her throat. You turned your head to find Kaylee, who was holding a book in her hands, awkwardly shifting her weight from one leg to the other. 

"May I sit?" She asked, gesturing to the chair beside you. Your mouth was full of food, so you just nodded and scooted your stuff over. "I've been wanting to talk to you alone for a while now." She mumbled as she played with the pages.

"About what?" You questioned, before you took another bite, ready to listen to what she had to say. She stared at the book for a prolonged moment before looking at you.

"I'm sorry." Kaylee said softly, looking guilty and ashamed. You stopped chewing and raised an eyebrow. "For what happened last year." You froze a bit, not wanting to recall what you went through.

"Don't worry about it. It's in the past." You said lowly, looking away from her as you continued eating.

"How can you say that? I was terrible to you. So was Brook, and Callie still treats you like trash?!" She asked, completely flabbergasted.

"What do you want me to say? That you were a terrible friend who used me and took me for granted? That I don't accept your apology?" You sighed. This was quickly becoming uncomfortable. 

"Yes. And I don't expect you to accept my apology. I just... needed you to know that I regret what I put you through. That was really shitty of me and you didn't deserve any of it. We don't deserve your help to survive in Tokyo either." Her response surprised you a bit. _She means it?_ You turned your head a bit to look at her. She was tearing up and her bottom lip was quivering a little. After taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes then stood. "Well. I'm glad I was finally able to get that off of my chest. I'll see you around." Kaylee said before she turned around and walked away.

Your mind filled with memories as you stared at your food. You remember receiving that text message, showing what your best friend really thought of you, the person you had trusted the most. You remembered how hurt you had felt, and how it drove you to do some truly regrettable things. You weren't sure if you were ready to forgive her for betraying you.

**Evening**

Your shoes tapped softly against the tiled ground as you walked to a quiet place in Shibuya station. You were nervous beyond belief. _You can do this Y/N. You've got this. You're going to help Takuji-kun and Akechi._

Pulling out your phone, you opened the MetaNav app and entered Mementos. The air was stale and it felt like you were being watched, despite the fact that you couldn't see anyone around you. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath before you summoned your persona and commanded her to cast Sukukaja so that you could get through the floors faster.

You dashed through the winding tunnels, slowly making your way down, into the depths. Along the way, you challenged a few shadows in order to get the hang of fighting again. It's been a bit since you've had to fight, and you wanted to make sure you would be warmed up before your fight with Hikaru's shadow. It was probably going to be a difficult fight since you were on your own.

Finally, you found the entrance to where her shadow was. It was situated towards the end of the first section of Mementos, on the sixth floor. Thankfully, there was a rest area on the fourth floor, so you wouldn't have to travel too much in order to get out.

Taking a running start, you jumped into the portal to confront her shadow. Once you entered, you noticed her standing in the center of the room with her back turned to you.

"Sumisu Hikaru." You said, raising your needle towards her. 

She began giggling, bending over and resting her hands on her knees as she laughed uncontrollably. Her laugh quickly turned maniacal, going from a soft echoing sound to a high pitched scream. The sound of her unhinged laugh made goosebumps crawl up your arms and legs, and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up.

"Aww. Little puppy. Are you hear to stop me? How cute." She cackled, finally turning towards you. _Wow this girl has lost it._

"Well duh. Why else would I be here?" You quipped, trying to keep your voice calm. She threw her head back and howled with laughter, apparently finding your response hilarious.

"Well said, Mutt. Let's do this!" She screamed as her human form exploded into a pool of shadows, then emerged as a winged woman. You couldn't remember all of the shadows real names, but you were pretty sure she had become an Angel.

She immediately casted the bless skill Kouha. It hit you, but didn't effect you. _She's most likely immune to bless skills too._

"Artemis!" You cried, summoning your persona to your side. "Bufu." You called, pointing at the winged woman. The stag Artemis was sitting on reared up as she docked an arrow and aimed at your opponent, releasing it at the speed of light. The room quickly chilled and the walls became coated in a thin layer of frost as ice exploded around the Angel.

Hikaru yelled in pain before rushing at you to hit you with a physical attack. You rolled to the left and pulled out your own bow, aiming for the Angel's wing. The arrow barely missed her. She cackled at your miss before she rushed at you again. This time, you stood your ground and pulled out your needle, ready for a dual.

She was fairly quick, but even without Artemis's help, you were faster. You chipped away at her health with swift jabs and stabs, leaving her dress torn and little cuts all over her body. She hissed in pain before she backed up and tried to cast Makajama. _Shit, she has a forget skill?_

Your mind suddenly became fuzzy and jumbled. It was hard to focus on anything. _What was I doing?_

A sharp pain to your leg made you cry out. The force of the blow had you skidding across the floor.

"Hahaha! Is that all you've got, Dog?" She scream laughed, rushing at you once more. Even though your mind couldn't comprehend what was going on, it seemed like your muscles could. Thanks to muscle memory, you rolled out of the way and the Angel slammed into the wall.

You were slowly regaining clarity as you wobbled around the dark room. The sharp, throbbing pain in your leg made you realize that it was broken. Before you could take out the pills you had bought from Takemi, the Angel slammed her body against yours and threw you into a wall. 

You coughed on impact, blood spraying from your mouth. The moment your body hit the ground, you swallowed a handful of pills and prayed.

"Persona!" You cried. Artemis's stag blocked the Angel from attacking you again by jamming its horns into her. A soft lightness filled your body, signifying that you had been healed. _I love you so much Takemi._ Her pills had worked perfectly, completely healing your broken leg.

With one final Bufu cast, Hikaru was on the ground panting.

"Enough. I've had enough." She breathed, voice cracking as she changed back into her human form. "You win." You approached her, weapon still raised just in case she was lying.

"Why did you do it?" You asked out of curiosity. She gave an exhausted chuckle before she began.

"I love him so much, so when he broke up with me, I thought that if I couldn't have him, then no one could. Haha..." She trailed off as she started to sob. "I'm such a terrible person. I don't deserve Osaki. He's too good for me." She covered her face with her hands.

"The least you could do is confess to what you've done. Takuji-kun doesn't deserve to have his life ruined by your selfishness." You said firmly, keeping your needle pointed at her. She nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, yeah you're right. He deserves a good life. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sor..." She repeated as she disappeared and her treasure appeared in her place. It was a small silver promise ring. You figured you could possibly sell it in order to get some quick cash.

Finally, you were done. Once you exited the room, you immediately headed towards the rest area so you could teleport to the entrance and leave. You had a bit of SP left, so you figured you would just cast Sukukaja so you could zoom out of there and avoid shadows.

As you were running down a particularly long corridor on the fifth floor, the world around you suddenly became grey and you began running in slow motion. You tried to look around, but you couldn't move your head, only your eyes moved. A blue, holographic version of yourself appeared a ways in front of you and was running towards the end of the tunnel. A small, blue object whizzed past your head and entered the skull of the holographic version of yourself. Hologram you collapsed to the floor, blood pouring from her skull. _Excuse me what?_

You panicked when the world regained color and went back to normal speed. You were quickly approaching the spot where that blue version of you died. You didn't have any time to think about it, you just jumped to the side, feeling the air of the bullet racing past your cheek. _Holy shit._

You quickly turned, and who you saw made your heart sink. Akechi was racing towards you, silenced pistol in his left hand, pointed directly at you, and his serrated sabre in his right. You gasped and turned back around, hoping you could make it to the rest area before he could catch you.

The sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. You silently summoned your persona, hoping she could buy you some time as you did your best to run faster.

"Loki!" Akechi snarled like a feral animal. With the way he sounded, you could imagine him running on all fours like an actual animal. You could hear Loki slam Artemis against a wall, causing stone and rubble to explode from the impact. You hissed as a rock hit your shoulder. _Shit._

Your speed was still at its max, but Akechi was a much higher level than you, making it easy for him to catch up to you. You looked back, just in time to see him point his gun at you again. A strange feeling swept through you, it was like someone was talking in your mind. _Evil what?_

You ducked and the bullet flew over your head. Artemis was trying to tell you something, but fear and panic was drowning out her voice. 

A searing pain bloomed in your knee. You cried as you tripped and fell to the ground. Akechi had shot you in the knee. You cradled your leg as Akechi swiftly approached you. **_Evil touch._** Artemis's voice finally came through clearly. _I'm so sorry Akechi._

"Persona." You breathed and covered your face with your hand as your mask erupted into flames. Akechi slowed to a stop as terror filled his body. He was gripping his head and shaking, soft sobs escaped his lips. 

You shoved some pills down your throat, then stood and continued running.

"Damnit." Akechi growled, voice shaking as you got away. 

You practically flew up the escalator, desperate to escape from your friend. Your hands shook hard as you pulled out your phone and aggressively tapped the screen, teleporting to the entrance and running back into the real world. You didn't stop running until you reached your apartment.

**Warning: panic attack**

You threw yourself onto your couch as you began hyperventilating. Tears streamed down your cheeks and landed on the soft pillow under your head. Your whole body shook and a chill ripped its way down your spine.

 _Akechi didn't know it was you. You can't blame him, but you can't reveal yourself either._ You curled into yourself and closed your eyes, trying to control your breathing.

Even after you managed to get your breathing under control, you couldn't stop shaking. You knew showing Akechi that calling card would backfire somehow. You didn't think that it would backfire like this though. _He's out for blood._ _How would he react if he found out it was me?_

**Warning end**

After spending nearly two hours curled up on your couch, a knock on your front door forced you to get up. You panicked slightly at the sight of the person who was standing there, a bright smile on his face and the bag you had given him this morning in his hands.

"Good evening L/N." Akechi hummed like he didn't just try to kill someone. You swallowed and tried to smile back at him, though it probably looked more like a grimace. He noticed your nervousness and furrowed his eyebrows. "What's wrong?" He asked and tilted his head, brunette hair falling over his eyes. 

"I- Uh-" You stuttered, backing away a little, unable to keep looking at him. He may be your friend, but he could be extremely scary. He took a step forward, closing any distance made. _Say something damnit._ "Let's just say that I hate men." You chuckled awkwardly, hoping he would think that a guy tried to creep on you. You glanced up at Akechi to see that his eyes were wide and his mouth was agape. He quickly took a step back to give you some space.

"Ah I see. Are you alright?" He asked softly, looking down at you, maroon eyes filled with pity. 

"Yeah I'll be okay. Just need some space for now." You breathed, looking down at the bag in his hands. He held out his hand so you could take the bag from him.

"I understand. Thank you for lunch today. It was delicious. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call or text me. Goodnight L/N. I hope you feel better soon." He hummed. Your fingers brushed against the palm of his hand as you took the bag from him. His fingers twitched upwards and brushed against your wrist.

"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. Goodnight Akechi." You responded, managing to give him a small smile. He nodded in response, smiling in return, then turned and walked down the hall.

You dropped the bag on the counter next to the sink in your kitchen then went to the bathroom for a shower. Once you finished, you collapsed into bed and stared at the ceiling of your bedroom, unable to fall asleep. You had a feeling that you would be seeing Igor tonight, that is, if you could fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to come out. Idk if I'm happy with it or not? I feel like it was all over the place ;; I finally got to some topics that I've been wanting to write about, hopefully they weren't too much for one chapter lmaooo ;;; Anyways. I can't wait until april is over ;)))
> 
> Thank you google translate for our pseudonym. Hopefully it's right! Someday I'll actually learn the Japanese language :')


	16. Gamer Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During your day off, you get the chance to just hang out with your friends at the arcade. Some interesting conversations ensue after you guys eat lunch together.
> 
> It's difficult to avoid the aftermath of changing someone's heart when your friend is a sharp eyed detective and you work at the school the Phantom Thieves go to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. THE LAST DAYS OF APRIL. YES.
> 
> Anyways. The discord is open! I'm still working on it a bit, but it's basically ready for members :D After this chapter, the link will be added in the end notes beneath every chapter <3 Depending on how many people join, I may open staff applications soon :')
> 
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)

**April 29th. Friday. Midnight**

You groaned softly and rolled over on the uncomfortable cott in your cell. Squinting your eyes opened, you made eye contact with a single bright yellow eye. Caroline was so close that you could feel her breath on your face. 

A high pitched screech left your lips as you processed what was happening, quickly sitting up. You immediately swayed, almost collapsing due to how fast you sat up. You're pretty sure that this has happened every time you've been summoned to the Velvet Room. _She's so scary._

"Get up!" Caroline commanded, slapping her baton against her hand as an intimidation tactic. It worked. You promptly stood and made your way out of the cell. Justine gave you a soft smile as you approached Igor. 

"Welcome back." The false god said, giving you a creepy smile. You nodded at him in response. "It seems as though you've had a chance to use your unique ability. What do you think?" He asked.

"If it wasn't for my ability activating, I would've died." You shivered, remembering the scene that had played before you. Igor nodded his head.

"You've made quite the enemy. The ability of Foresight will come in handy when around the other wildcards." He chuckled, seeming to find this amusing. _Fuck you._

"Foresight? Is that what it's called?" You asked, tilting your head a bit.

"That is correct." He began, sitting forwards in his chair and locked his fingers in front of him. "Foresight gives you the power to see only a few seconds into the future. However, due to the nature of this power, you may never have full control over it. For now, your power will be inconsistent, only activating in times of great danger. Although, I believe that if you make more bonds and strengthen them, your power will activate more often." He explained, tapping one of his index fingers against his other hand. _Huh. I suppose that makes sense. Having complete control over being able to see into the future would be kind of overpowered._

"I see..." You trailed off a bit, thinking of who else you could become confidants with. _Are the other girls my confidants? Will I get as many confidants as Ren does?_

"Due to your late arrival, we are out of time. However, before you go, I'd like to inform you that I'm working on a little something to make up for your broken wildcard ability, since you aren't able to seal contracts with other Persona like you're supposed to. Expect to visit here again soon." He said ominously. Your mind immediately began racing with what he could possibly mean. 

Justine waved her baton in front of you, gesturing for you to head back into your cell. You hadn't thought about it before, but you wondered why your cell door was open, unlike Ren's. Not to mention that the Velvet room appears the same way for you that it does for Ren. As you laid back down, you wondered how Akechi saw the Velvet room. _He's a wildcard too right? He must have meetings with Igor then?_

**Morning**

Yawning softly, you stretched the sleep out of your muscles, having awoken on your own. Today was Shōwa Day, meaning that you had the day off from school, and you had no plans other than to lounge around the entire day. You deserved a break after what had happened yesterday with Akechi.

After spending nearly an hour browsing through your social media apps and occasionally staring at the ceiling for no reason, you got out of bed in order to start your day of relaxation. For breakfast, you ate an unhealthily large portion of some sugary cereal you had bought because it was on sale when you went to the store, then turned on your TV and curled up on your couch.

"And now, an update on yesterdays psychotic breakdown case." Said a newscaster. _Oh god what? Is that why Akechi was in Mementos yesterday?_ "The bus driver has passed away due to complications during the surgery that was attempted to save his life. As for the passengers, all have survived with varying degrees of injuries." He continued, going into more detail afterwards. A sick feeling bubbled at the back of your throat. _Am I really friends with Akechi?_ In your world, his crimes didn't effect you much since they were all just video game characters, but now that you were living in said video game world, the severity of his crimes was nauseating. You were really beginning to doubt yourself when it came to being friends with him. You knew that he needed one, having never had a true friend before, but you weren't sure if you'd be able to handle it.

You prayed that Akechi had to work today so he wouldn't ask for dinner. You were pretty sure that he had to work, but having to say no to that underfed boy would be difficult. You shook the nervous thoughts from your mind and flipped through the channels, only to come face to face with Akechi's graceful features on some talk show. 

"Welcome Akechi-kun! It's good to have you here." One of the hosts said, looking a little too excited. His female co-host was looking kind of flustered in Akechi's presence. Akechi's charming smile had all of the girls in the audience swooning.

"It's a pleasure to be here! I'm humbled at the opportunity to appear on your show." He said, giving the cameras a closed eyed smile. _He's talking differently again. What the hell?_ His tone when he spoke to other people was different from how he spoke to you. You hoped you'd be able to figure out what it was by listening to him, feeling like what he was doing different was on the tip of your tongue.

"We were wondering if you'd be willing to talk about the most recent psychotic breakdown involving that bus driver." The male host asked him. Akechi didn't miss a beat, immediately feigning sadness. He frowned softly and furrowed his eyebrows slightly, giving the impression of puppy eyes. _This must have been filmed earlier today._ It was currently nearing 11 A.M. 

"Sadly, I can't. Due to how recent it was, even I don't know the details yet. My apologies." He said softly. The female co-host immediately started cooing at the boy.

"Oh don't worry about it! That's not something you can control." She gushed, making you want to gag. _You're like 30. Please chill._ Her attraction to the underaged detective made you uncomfortable, but it didn't look like it phased Akechi. You'd never be able to match his acting skills. 

"Yes that's quite alright." The male host chuckled, seeming to be nervous in the charming celebrity's presence. You began tuning out the show as you got up to find a snack in your fridge. You were quickly becoming bored.

"-girlfriend?" The last word of the male hosts sentence was the only thing you had heard before you sat back down after rummaging through your kitchen for way too long. The cameras panned to a dark and blurry picture of you and Akechi walking towards the station in Kichijoji after your little hang out session. You were wearing his peacoat and you were both looking at each other. Due to the low quality of the photo, it was hard to make out your face, which caused you to breathe a sigh of relief.

Akechi's eyes widened, then in the blink of an eye, his face had become pleasantly neutral again. The audience immediately began squealing a mixture of "eee's" and "boo's" at the mention of Akechi possibly having a girlfriend. He smiled a bit sheepishly and tilted his head.

(Btw, this is what I mean whenever I say he's surprised, then quickly covers his surprised expression. It's in the first 10 seconds of the clip. [Click me!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzaXbQoea7k))

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but she isn't my girlfriend. She's actually one of my classmates. I ran into her after I had finished conducting some business in Kichijoji and was heading back to the station. She was cold so I lent her my coat for a bit." He hummed, a soft smile on his lips. A part of you felt relieved by his little lie, but at the same time, you felt kind of sad that he didn't want to acknowledge you as a friend. _Maybe he's just trying to protect me. Also. Make up your damn mind. Do you want to be friends with him or not?_

You groaned and fell backwards onto your couch, rolling over multiple times in an attempt to collect your indecisive thoughts.

**Lunch**

A soft pinging sound echoed through your living room as you stared mindlessly at the TV. You weren't used to having this much free time. You kind of wished you had made plans.

After fishing for your phone that had fallen in between two couch cushions, you noticed you received a text from Ren. 

**Ren Amamiya added Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, and Y/N L/N to the chat.**

**Ren Amamiya changed the chat name to "Friends :)"**

**12:35 P.M.**

**Ren:** Are you guys busy today?

 **Ryuji:** Nope, just chillin at the arcade in Shibuya. Wanna hang out?

I'm free :) **:Y/N**

 **Ann:** Me too! Got any ideas?

I wanna go to the arcade! **:Y/N**

 **Ryuji:** Oh hell yeah! I can teach you how to play Gun About!

 **Ren:** You just want to go to the arcade because it's close to your apartment.

You're not wrong. **:Y/N**

 **Ann:** Sure! They got some new plushies in stock and they're all so cute! I need them.

 **Ren:** Alright. I'll see you guys there in a bit.

See you guys soon! **:Y/N**

You were extremely nervous to hang out with them, considering how quickly news travels between schools. You hoped they wouldn't ask too many questions about the Black Wolf. You just wanted to chill and get out of your apartment.

Quickly, you threw on an outfit you had bought while out with Ann. The outfit consisted of a light cream colored woven cardigan, a plain white t-shirt, light blue jeans and white converse. You took a quick peak at yourself in the mirror in order to fix your hair and do your makeup. _I kind of look like a basic white girl._ You thought as you applied a bit of mascara before leaving your bathroom and grabbing a small purse that you put your phone, wallet, and keys in.

And within only a few minutes, you were out of your apartment and heading towards the arcade. 

Ryuji immediately spotted you as you entered the establishment and waved. "Sup Senpai?" He said as you approached him, a cheeky grin on his face. You grinned back at him.

"Nothing much. I was planning on spending my day off doing absolutely nothing, but that got boring quickly." You giggled as you glanced around at all of the games, trying to figure out what you wanted to play first.

"I feel ya." He chuckled as he also looked around, probably thinking of what game to introduce you to first. "Come on, let's get some tokens." He said and gestured for you to follow him, leading you to a machine that gave you tokens for money. You both took a cup from the top of the machine and filled it with tokens before scouting the place out and talking about which games you wanted to play first.

While you were walking around, you spotted the crane game with the plushies that Ann was talking about. It vaguely reminded you of Morgana. You immediately felt the urge to spend all of your coins attempting to get one.

During your wait for the other two, you challenged Ryuji to one of the racing games, a competitive smile curled up his cheeks. You both put in the amount of tokens needed, then sat and watched the count down until the race began.

"You're going down, L/N." Ryuji taunted lightheartedly.

"I'll make you eat those words!" You quipped in response, smirking a little. You and your younger brother were very competitive when it came to video games, so this was nothing new.

The moment the race started, Ryuji took the lead. He whooped in joy as he sped down the race track, not paying attention to just how fast he was going. You were directly behind him, waiting for your chance to pull ahead and leave him behind. It didn't take long for a sharp turn to come up. Ryuji had to slow down early in order to keep from spinning out and going off the track, meaning you had the perfect opening. You shifted the gear as you turned and pulled ahead.

"WHAT?!" Ryuji yelled, clearly not expecting your expertise at a random race car game.

You just cackled as you smoked him, leaving him struggling to catch up. 

A deep voice chuckled from behind you, causing you to look back for just a second. Ren and Ann were standing behind you. Morgana was perched on Ren's shoulder, watching you race.

"Hey guys!" You chirped as you turned back around to focus on the game. Ryuji didn't say anything, looking way too focused on the game. His nose was almost touching the screen and his eyebrows were furrowed. You heard Ann giggle as she noticed Ryuji.

"I've never seen him concentrate so hard before." She laughed, covering her hand with her mouth. Ryuji frowned a bit, but didn't respond.

You were currently on the final lap, Ryuji was so close to passing you. Ann and Morgana were both cheering for you. Ren was cheering for Ryuji since he didn't want him to feel left out. The finish line was in sight, and you were both neck and neck. Your pedal was pressed completely to the ground as you raced towards the finish. You both passed the finish line, seemingly at the same time. You sucked in a breath as the game did dramatic camera shots of yours and Ryuji's cars, showing that your car was less than an inch ahead of his, giving you the win.

"Yes!" You cheered as you shot up from your seat, receiving a high five from Ann. Ryuji groaned a bit, earning a chuckle from Ren.

"You just got beat by a girl." Ren laughed, leaning against the seat his friend was in.

"Hey it's not that bad! We were so close!" You giggled, watching as Ryuji's eyes darted to you, a small, almost proud looking smile on his lips. "So. What's next?" You asked as you stepped away from the game.

"I need to get tokens." Ann responded, Ren nodded in agreement and the four of you walked back to the token machine. After getting the coins for the others, Ann pulled you in the direction of the crane game so you can attempt to get that cute plushie. Ren and Ryuji went off in a different direction in order to play some real games.

You and Ann spent nearly half an hour attempting to get the toy. By the time you were done, you had wasted all of your tokens and were practically crying.

"Stupid game." You sniffled, glaring at the cat stuffed animal. Ann huffed and crossed her arms in front of her, pouting. You both glanced at each other before falling into a fit of giggles at your childishness.

"Did you win?" Ren asked as he approached the two of you.

"Uhh. About that." Ann awkwardly chuckled, looking at you for help. You just hung your head and sighed.

"We spent all of our tokens." You said quietly. Ryuji laughed at your misfortune, only to receive an angry hiss from Morgana.

"Want us to give it a try?" Ren asked, smirking down at you. You knew that his proficiency couldn't be very high yet, so it would be nice to see him fail after giving you that cocky grin.

"Would you please?" You smiled up at him, ready for his downfall. Ann quietly cackled like a gremlin from her spot beside you, ready to watch the boys fail as well.

They both sighed in defeat after spending all of their tokens too. You and Ann laughed hysterically, leaning against each other in an attempt to keep yourselves upright.

"It's not that funny." Ryuji grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

"Sorry." Ren mumbled, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Their responses only had you two laughing harder. Ryuji threw his hands up, having enough of your shenanigans and walked back to the machine to get more coins, leaving the three of you to rush to catch up to him.

Finally, Ryuji led you to Gun About and handed you one of the controllers before choosing the 'survival' game mode. "You ready partner?" He asked, having his back to you, gun pointed upwards.

"Let's do this." You said seriously, back pressed against his with your gun pointed upwards as well. 

"Oh boy." Ann said, taking in the serious competitiveness you both exuded.

"This'll be interesting." Ren chuckled, leaning against one of the games behind him.

"Watch them lose instantly." Morgana laughed. It took all of your self control to not turn around and point the gun controller at him.

Ryuji immediately began instructing you on what to do, giving you all of the tips, tricks and combo moves that he knew of so you two would be able to survive the hordes of enemies as long as you could.

"To your left!" Ryuji said, making you quickly turn and shoot the enemy that was getting close to you.

"Thanks." You breathed, running out of breath. You didn't realize how much movement was involved in this game. Ryuji kept guiding you like the leader he secretly was, which surprised you to no end. You wondered if Ryuji would have what it takes to be the leader of the Phantom Thieves.

By the time you lost, you had beaten the high score for the survival mode of the game.

"Holy shit!" You cheered, then immediately took a deep breath.

"Nice!" Ryuji laughed, slinging an arm around your shoulders in a victory hug, giving you a solid high five with his free hand. You could hear Morgana angrily growl at the fact that Ryuji was touching you.

"Congrats." Ren clapped for you both, looking proud at how far you two got.

"That was weirdly entertaining." Ann said, looking surprised that she wasn't bored out of her mind the entire time. You also heard a few claps from the small audience that had formed while you two played.

"Let's go turn in our tickets!" Ryuji laughed triumphantly as he pulled away from you and pulled the tickets from their slot in the machine. He led you and the others to the prize counter at the back of the arcade, which had all kinds of toys, snacks, and knick knacks. 

You had 200 tickets to spend. _Should I get a bracelet? They're only 100 each and they aren't hideous. Or I can get a bunch of candy. Each piece is like 2 tickets each. Maybe I can convince the guy behind the counter to give me a Morgana doll in exchange for my tickets._

"I'll take 300 tickets worth of candy please." Ryuji said, a cheeky grin on his face. He proceeded to tell the clerk which candies and snacks he wanted.

"I'll take one of those bracelets and some candy too please!" Ann chirped, handing the employee her tickets and telling him what she wanted. You glanced at Ren, still having no idea what you wanted. He looked back at you for a moment before giving you a goofy smile and snatching your tickets from you.

"Hey-" Ren cut you off by talking to the clerk.

"I'll take a bracelet, two of those fake tattoos and candy." He mumbled without hesitation. _Excuse me sir. What the fuck?_ Once Ren was handed his stuff, he turned and held the bracelet out for you to put on. You hesitantly put your hand through it. Then he took the cup he used to hold his tokens and filled it with about half of the candy and handed you the rest. "Wanna go put these bad boys on in the restroom?" He asked, holding up the cringeworthy fake tattoos that looked like a mix between a woman and a tiger.

You nearly wheezed because of the expression on his face. He looked like an excited child. You couldn't find it in your heart to deny him this silly request. "I'm ready." You giggled, tears forming in your eyes. You all snuck into the girls restroom since it was only a single room and there weren't many people around.

"Where should we put them?" Ren asked as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Put it on your butt!" Ryuji said, not thinking about his words.

"That's gross!" Ann snapped, slapping him on the back, receiving an "Ack!" in response.

"How about on our arms?" You offered, removing your cardigan and pointing to your exposed bicep. Ren nodded in agreement and took off the black coat he was wearing. You both took a bunch of paper towels and wet them, then held them against the fake tattoo after placing it on your arm. When you pulled away the damp paper, you visibly cringed. "These are disgusting." You cackled. Ren chuckled, leaning against the counter.

Ann held a hand over her mouth as she laughed and Ryuji just gave you both a cheeky grin.

Ren seemed pretty satisfied that you both had ugly matching tattoos. You were just glad that these were fake. 

**Afternoon**

You all left the arcade at around 3 P.M., looking for other things to do.

"We could go shopping in the underground mall!" Ann cheered, looking excited. You groaned softly.

"My bank account still hates me for our last trip to the mall." You mumbled, head lowered.

"Why don't we head to Leblanc for a late lunch?" Ryuji suggested, which immediately made you perk up.

"Food!" You cheered in agreement, earning a proud smile from Ryuji.

"I could eat." Ren hummed as Morgana propped himself onto Ren's shoulder.

"Lunch sounds good to me." He responded.

"Lunch it is!" Ann giggled as you all turned towards the station.

Ren held the door open to Leblanc for everyone. Sojiro turned from his spot behind the counter to look at you all as you entered. His eyes immediately looked over the group, before landing on you, a satisfied smile on his lips. 

"Welcome back." He nodded before getting some cups ready. "Come help me out kid." He grumbled, referring to Ren. 

You giggled as Ren scampered to Sojiro's side and slipped on an apron. Ren made the coffee this time while Sojiro made the curry. He seemed to have everyone's orders memorized because he brought you what you had gotten the last two times you've been here, spicy pork curry with a house blend coffee. Exactly what you wanted.

"Thanks for the food!" You, Ryuji and Ann cheered before digging in, not waiting for Ren, who didn't seem to mind. He took a seat across from you, next to Ryuji and started eating as well. Morgana had to stay hidden in Ren's room since Sojiro didn't want him to disturb the customers. 

You all silently shoved the food down your throats. You didn't realize how hungry you were until you started eating. Goofing off with the Thieves all afternoon really gave you an appetite. Once you were all done, Sojiro ushered you all into Ren's room because he didn't want you all bothering his two customers with your "teenage angst."

You and Ann took a seat on the couch and Ren and Ryuji found some chairs to sit on.

"Soooo.~" Ann sang as she leaned in close to you. You turned your head to look at her, only to blush due to how close she was to you. Her nose was touching yours and you could feel her breath on your lips. _Oh god._ All three of the boys choked on their saliva, cheeks a bright pink. "How are you and that celebrity detective doing?" She pried, making you swallow.

"W-we're good?" You said awkwardly, slowly backing away.

"Good? That's it? I saw you on that talk-show this morning. The photo was blurry, but it was obvious that it was you who was wearing Akechi-san's jacket." She cooed, making you want to die.

"I- Uh- Wh-" You stuttered, unable to take the sudden pressure she was putting on you.

"They're just friends!" Morgana pouted, flattening his ears against his head.

"Sure they are." Ryuji taunted. You just looked at Ren for help, but he was smirking at you, clearly enjoying the fact that you were being put on the spot.

"I met Akechi-san the other day." Ren began. "Morgana practically tackled Y/N to the ground, but her boyfriend caught her and didn't let go until the train showed up. I'm pretty sure he was jealous that we're on a first name basis." He joked. _Why are all of my friends like this?_

"Ooooo jealousy! How come you and Akechi-san aren't on a first name basis yet? He's like, your best friend, isn't he?" She asked, tilting her head a bit. _Is he my best friend?_

"I don't know. He just hasn't told me to call him by his first name yet. I don't want to push to be on a first name basis with him. He's kind of a closed off guy." You mumbled, awkwardly shifting in your seat, unable to look at any of them.

"Then make him open up." Ryuji said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. You gasped and put a hand over your mouth.

"Why didn't I think of that?" You responded sarcastically, causing Ann to giggle.

"Just steal his heart." Ren said casually, chuckling a bit.

"Like a Phantom Thief?" You gushed a bit, eyes lighting up. You really couldn't believe that you were in the presence of THE Phantom Thieves of Hearts. The fangirl in you wanted to squeal in excitement, but the realist in you wanted to run far away. You knew you weren't supposed to be here.

"Exactly." Ryuji laughed, shaking his head a bit.

"Is it true? That the Thieves go to your school?" You asked, leaning forwards, wanting to make them squirm like they had made you.

"Uhh. We have no idea." Ann said, sounding like a robot. 

"What makes you think that?" Ryuji asked, also sounding awkward. Ren raised an eyebrow, staying quiet.

"One of the girls I tutor regularly was talking with me about them yesterday. Apparently, some people believe that they go to your school." You explained, doing your best not to smirk at their obviously panicky faces.

"Who knows?" Ren said nonchalantly. He was the best at poker facing, but you could still see the worry in his eyes. His eyebrows were ever so slightly twitching. "What about that Black Wolf at your school?" He asked back. _Ah fuck._

"Maybe! Do you think they're a member of the Phantom Thieves who broke away to do some solo stuff? Or do you think they're a separate person?" You asked, trying to sound excited.

"I'm having second thoughts. She's too fangirly to be the Wolf." Morgana said. The urge to sigh in relief ripped through your body. You looked at the kitty and cooed a bit.

"Aww. Are you participating in our conversation Morgana-chan?" You giggled, reaching towards him. He immediately scrambled from his place on the floor by Ren to sit on your lap. You stroked his soft kitty head, taking deep breaths. _I don't want to talk about this anymore._

"Possibly. From the looks of it, they seem to have the same morals as the Phantom Thieves." Ren responded, slouching in his chair.

"Maybe she's evil and is the one behind the shutdowns." Ryuji said, keeping his eyes on you. _Oh god. Oh fuck. Abort mission. This isn't how this was supposed to go. Why do they think it's me?_ You swallowed and tilted your head.

"She?" You asked, watching as the panic returned to Ryuji's face. "You think the Black Wolf is a girl?" You questioned, tapping your chin like you were in thought, hoping that his slip up would cause them to change the subject.

"W-well, both groups seem to want to help society! That's all that matters!" Ann interrupted nervously. 

"Yeah!" Ryuji responded a little too enthusiastically. Ren just sighed at his teammates obviousness. You nodded and smiled at them, probably looking panicked as well. Ryuji suddenly looked at his phone and stood from his seat. "Oops. Gotta go! My mom wants me to help her start dinner." He lied.

"I might as well start heading home too since it takes me a bit." Ann chimed in, standing up as well.

"Bye!" They both said in unison before dashing down the stairs and out of Leblanc. You just stared, opening and closing your mouth multiple times before looking over at Ren, who also had a look of confusion on his face.

"I... Guess I should get going too?" Your statement sounded more like a question as you looked at Ren. He nodded quietly and stood from his seat. You lifted Morgana off of you, earning hissy protests from the cat as you set him on the ground. Ren walked you out of Leblanc and to the station. "Well. Today was... interesting." You giggled as you stood at your waiting platform with Ren.

"It sure was." He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Thanks for inviting me. I had a lot of fun." You smiled up at him, causing him to smile back at you in response.

"Of course." He hummed. "Thanks for joining us." He finished, glancing up at the train as it came into view.

"See you guys later." You waved that them before hopping onto your train. They both kept waving until the train was moving and they were out of view.

You laughed as you entered your apartment, internally screaming. That moment with the Thieves was, in your opinion, the worst. You would rather be chased by Akechi again than have to do that again. You wanted the ground to open up and swallow you whole. _Okay. So they suspect that it's me. What gave it away?_

You groaned as you paced around your apartment, unable to come up with a reason.

"They haven't gotten a good look at me. They haven't heard my voice. They don't know I can understand Morgana. Right?!" You mumbled into a pillow on your couch, laying down face first. "Is it all because I healed them? Do they know that the Wolf healed them?"

**Evening**

Since you had eaten lunch so late, you waited until after you had showered and finished your homework to eat dinner. It wasn't much. You had bought some tasty looking chicken, cabbage and cellophane noodle dumplings at the market that came with a sweet dipping sauce, so you figured you would give them a try, along with some rice. Back in America, you never ate rice this often, but since it was so easily accessible in Japan, you thought you could eat it more often. Plus, it took almost no effort to make.

The dumplings were pretty good, you'd probably buy them again in the future, although, you would be making your own dipping sauce next time. You didn't hate the sauce, but you felt like it needed more flavor.

As your bedtime approached, you received at text from a certain murderous detective.

**Goro Akechi**

**9:50 P.M.**

**Akechi:** Good evening! My apologies for messaging you so late, but is it too late to make a request for tomorrows lunch?

Not at all. What would you like? :) **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I was going through my mothers old cookbooks, and found an old favorite recipe of mine. Do you think you could make this? Just... without all the spice.

 **Akechi:**

**Akechi:**

Yeah no problem. Although, that's definitely something someone at your skill level could make. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Maybe someday... When I have the confidence. This is a dish I'd rather not mess up.

Fair enough. I guess I'll just have to keep forcing you to cook until you're comfortable cooking on your own :) **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Haha! Very funny. Goodnight L/N. I'll see you tomorrow.

Goodnight Akechi. **:Y/N**

Your heart raced as you stared at the messages Akechi had sent you. _He wants me to cook him a dish his mother used to make him? Will I do it justice?!_ You immediately started panicking inside. Although, those messages were a good reminder that Akechi was just a lost kid at heart, being manipulated by his father who he just wants acknowledgement from. _What a mess._

**April 30th. Saturday. Morning.**

You exhaled heavily through your nose as your alarm rang through your room. You had about two hours to prepare yourself before having to see Akechi today. You felt like you would be alright around him. _We're friends. He's kinda crazy, but we're friends._ You put your indecisive thoughts away as you slapped your phone screen and rolled out of bed.

After finishing your usual morning activities, you started on breakfast and lunch. Knowing Akechi, he probably wouldn't accept your invitation for breakfast for a while. Making him lunch was one thing, since you gave it to him during school hours, but having him over for breakfast every morning in the private confines of your apartment might be a bit overwhelming for him.

While making lunch, you did your best to follow the recipe as closely as possible. You hoped his mother didn't secretly do anything differently when she cooked this. You didn't want to disappoint him. For the sides, you made rice and rolled omelets.

Once you ate and packed up your things, you walked out of your apartment and towards the entrance. The maroon eyed detective immediately perked up when he spotted you walking out the door and towards him. 

You felt anxiety crawl around in your stomach, but you couldn't deny the happiness you felt when you saw him. He looked a little excited to see you.

"Good morning L/N!" He chirped as you approached him, a soft smile on his face.

"Good morning Akechi. You seem to be in a good mood today." You giggled a bit, feeling the nervousness trickle away as you began talking.

"Well of course. You did make that pork dish for lunch, didn't you?" He asked, looking hopeful. You nodded.

"I did. I hope I made it right." You sighed a bit.

"I'm sure you did just fine." He responded, bumping your arm with his encouragingly. Your heart stopped and you could feel butterflies erupt in your stomach. _Did he just playfully bump my arm?_ You couldn't help, but give him a bright smile in response.

The school was buzzing like a beehive when you and Akechi walked in. His fangirls immediately squealed and swooned when they saw him, swarming him and trying to tell him what he missed. He politely nodded in response to their rambling, trying to keep up with them.

"Did you hear? Hikaru-san had her desires stolen by a wannabe Phantom Thief!"

"I bet that was just some kid looking for attention."

"How pathetic."

 _Goodness._ You knew they wouldn't be saying shit when she confessed to what she did. You wondered when she would have a change of heart. You figured it would either be sometime today or early next week.

"Who do you think the Black Wolf is Akechi?" Callie asked, rubbing his bicep as he reached for one of his books. His movement stuttered a bit when she touched him.

"I'm not sure yet." Akechi said awkwardly, snatching the book from his locker then pushing it into his bag. "We should get going." He said to you before turning and walking off. You scrambled to catch up to him.

"Slow down." You hissed, giggling a little. "My legs are little." Akechi's eyes widened and he slowed down considerably.

"My apologies." He chuckled, looking down at you with pity. You just rolled your eyes.

**Lunch**

"Who do you think the Black Wolf is?" Akechi asked as you walked towards the library. _Oh god._

"To be completely honest, I think you not going to school on the day the Black Wolf appears is a little too convenient." You joked.

"Are you saying that I'm the Wolf?" He chuckled, opening the door that led outside the main school building for you.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I'm just saying that I can't deny the possibility that it's you." You nudged him in jest, earning a little smile from him in response.

"You caught me. I'm the Wolf." He said, sarcasm filling his voice.

"I knew it! Such a hero." You fangirled, glad that he hasn't tried saying that it's you. That got him to laugh.

During the rest of your walk to the library, he talked about his day yesterday and how he thought he had lost an important paper, only to realize that he had been holding it the entire time. You told him about your hang out session with Ren, Ryuji and Ann at the arcade. You deflated when you told him about how you had spent all of your tokens trying to get a stupid plushie, and ended up failing in the end. He chuckled at your misfortune. 

When you reached your lunch spot, he impatiently drummed his fingers against the table, waiting for you to hand him his lunch. To say you were nervous was an understatement. You hoped he liked it. Without further ado, you took out the lunch boxes and handed him his, watching as he gently removed the cloth holding it together, like he was scared to disturb the food. Everything about him lit up when he removed the lid.

After taking a picture like he usually does, he brought a piece of pork to his lips. He immediately hummed and closed his eyes as he chewed. Your heart pounded against your chest as you waited for his thoughts on the meal.

He chuckled after opening his eyes, seeing how nervous you looked.

"It's interesting." He started, making you tilt your head. "It tastes just like my mother used to make, yet, there's something different about it. It almost tastes... better." He hums before eating more, leaving you flustered and confused. 

"I'm glad I did it justice." You mumbled, looking away from the detective, finally beginning to eat.

"Well of course you did. I didn't expect anything less." He said, not bothering to look at you as he spoke because he was too interested in his meal. His last little comment made your cheeks burn. The rest of your meal was spent eating in silence. It was a tasty dish.

As you were putting away the bento boxes, your phone buzzed. It was Kaylee, telling you to get to the cafeteria asap. You made eye contact with Akechi and stood from your seat, gesturing for him to follow you. You both made your way to the cafeteria, only to find it packed with students. There was no way you'd be able to get to the front to see what was going on. Thankfully, you were friends with a famous detective, who was able to convince people to move out of the way so that you two could get to the front.

"Sumisu, what are you doing?" Osaki Takuji, the student council president said, watching as his ex-girlfriend climbed on a table. Her eyes were red and she looked hopeless. The students around you were whispering about what could've possibly happened.

You glanced up at Akechi, meeting his maroon gaze before looking at Hikaru.

"Please. Listen to what I have to say." She croaked, waiting until the room got quiet. "Those things I said about Osaki Takuji, about him trying to rape his little sister... They're false." She sobbed. The people around you gasped and began talking about how the Black Wolf made her have a change of heart. "I made false allegations against my ex-boyfriend because I didn't want anyone else to have him." She said before falling to her knees. "I'm so sorry Osaki. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She cried into her hands, body shaking.

Akechi left your side and walked up to the student council president. "Would you like to press charges?" Akechi asked him. Takuji just shook his head, confusing you beyond belief. 

"I think she's been punished enough." He responded, smiling at Akechi, and then to you. He kind of reminded you of Ren. _He's too nice for his own good. She deserves jail time for that._

"Well. Alright. If you change your mind, let me know." Akechi said before walking back up to you. You made eye contact with Takuji for a moment. He gave you a strange smile before turning his attention to the girl having a breakdown on the table. You and Akechi turned and headed back to the library.

"Is that how a change of heart happens?" You asked, trying to sound oblivious. You knew Akechi would want to discuss what just happened with you, so you figured you get the conversation out of the way now.

"I suppose it is." He hummed, looking like he was deep in thought. "It happened so quickly too. I wonder if Kamoshida has had his change of heart yet."

"I can ask around when I get to Shujin today if you'd like." You said, gaining his attention. 

"That would be fantastic." He chuckled. "You know, if you're ever looking for some extra cash, you could become my assistant." You couldn't lie, that was extremely tempting. You could use the extra money since your job at Shujin would only leave you with around $200 USD or ¥20,000 at the end of the month. Feeding Akechi almost everyday was really cutting into your savings. However, you could also enter a palace or Mementos to grind for cash, plus you could get stronger that way.

"As your assistant, what exactly would I be doing?" You asked out of curiosity. 

"Help me get information, do errands and tasks such as getting me coffee or making me copies of a paper. You'd also probably be doing some work for the other detectives and prosecutors at my place of work." He explained, smiling down at you.

"That's a tempting offer. Although, I think I'll stick with my current job." You responded.

"If you ever change your mind, let me know. It would be nice to have someone do those things for me so I can focus on my work." He said, sounding like he was still trying to convince you to work for him. You just rolled your eyes.

"I'll keep that in mind." You laughed softly.

Once you both sat back at your lunch spot, Akechi got serious. His eyes bore into your soul, immediately making you freeze. A chill ran up and down your spine. _What...?_

"In all seriousness, who do you think the Black Wolf is?" He asked, clearly hoping you would give him some ideas or possible suspects. You just frowned, hoping you didn't look too nervous.

"Honestly, I'm not really sure. I don't know the students of this school very well." You said, looking down and hunching your back a bit in defeat, not sure who to suggest. You obviously couldn't just tell him that it was you.

"There's no one you suspect?" He asked, sounding a bit suspicious. 

"Do you think it could be Takuji-kun? He was the one affected by Hikaru-sans rumors." You tilted your head a bit as you spoke. He nodded in response.

"Yes. He could definitely be a suspect." He responded. You knew he didn't consider the student council president a suspect.

"Who do you think it could be?" You asked the dreaded question, heart in your throat.

"You won't like my answer." He hummed, eyes not leaving you. You tilted your head a bit and swallowed. "I believe it's one of your American transfer... friends." He said, unsure of what word to use. Your eyes widened and mouth opened a little. _He doesn't suspect me. He suspects the others._

"May I ask why you suspect them?" You asked, intrigued by his admission. You sat forwards and leaned your elbows against the table. A smile twitched at Akechi's lips. You thought it was probably because he doesn't get to discuss these kinds of theories with many people.

"I must admit, I have no real reason to believe it's one of them. It's more of just... a gut feeling, I suppose." His response just made your blood run cold. He definitely suspected you. Before he could question you anymore, the bell rang. You did your best to hide the relief that washed through your body as you gathered your bag and headed back to class.

**Afterschool**

"Good afternoon N/N-chan." Makoto hummed as you entered the school. You gave her a bright smile as you approached her.

"Hey Mako-chan. What's up?" You asked in response.

"Principal Kobayakawa has requested your presence." She said as she began leading you to his office.

"I hope he's going to pay me. My bank account is looking kind of sad." You chuckled, earning a laugh from her in response.

Your hoping seemed to pay off because Kobayakawa was holding a check with your name on it in his hands when you entered his office. He promptly handed it to you and told you to cash it in as soon as you could, then told you to get to work. Your little meeting was over before you knew it, which you wouldn't complain about. You didn't want to have to be near him for too long.

"Oh I was wondering." You started as you were heading back to your classroom. Makoto turned her head and looked at you, showing you had her attention. "Did Kamoshida have a 'change of heart' like the Phantom Thieves said he would?" You asked her. Makoto scrunched up her eyebrows a bit and shook her head.

"No. Not yet at least. Why?" She questioned, looking confused.

"Akechi wanted to know, due to what happened today at Ichiryu." You explained. She just continued to stare at you in confusion. "Oh I suppose you haven't heard. Apparently, someone is imitating the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and stealing peoples desires at my school. They stole someone's distorted desires the other day, and she confessed to her crimes today." 

"Oh my. She confessed publicly what she did?" Makoto asked, looking curious.

"Yeah. She got up on a table during lunch and told us that she had falsely accused her ex-boyfriend of doing terrible things to his sister." You told her, earning a horrified look in return.

"Goodness. That sounds so scary. I wonder what having a change of heart is like." She said as you reached your classroom.

"Hopefully it isn't too bad. At least she can't harm an innocent guy anymore." You sighed as you both came to a halt.

"That's true. Kamoshida definitely hasn't done anything like that." She mumbled before giving you a little smile. "Well. I'll see you later." You nodded in response, returning her smile.

"See ya." You waved as you entered your classroom.

**Evening**

You groaned as you entered your humble abode, completely and utterly exhausted. These past two days have been extremely overwhelming. You wondered when things would get easier, if they'd ever get easier. 

You threw together some ingredients and hoped the meal they created would turn out decent. You didn't have the mental energy to cook for long. You would definitely be spending tomorrow alone, unless Akechi got the day off. You still felt bad for laughing at him like that and you wanted to get the dinner you promised him out of the way.

You also thought about heading into Mementos or a palace tomorrow to fight some shadows and relieve some stress. There were bound to be more palaces than the ones shown in Persona 5 and P5R. If you could figure out a way into those palaces, you could possibly avoid both the Thieves and Akechi.

After eating your meal, which didn't actually taste that bad, you showered and crawled on all fours to your bedroom, ready to sleep until you were dead.

_If Akechi really does suspect me, does that mean he won't try to kill me the next time we see each other? If he doesn't try to kill me, then I'll know for sure that he really does think I'm the Wolf. Will he try to arrest me if he finds out it's me? Or will he let me off the hook since we're friends? Oh god, but then he'll know that I know who he really is. What a fucking mess. I just want to go home..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *aggressively rubs hands together like an evil villain* I have a lot planned for May ;))))))))))))))))))))))))
> 
> I almost put a bunch of akechi fluff in this chapter, but i felt like it would be out of place since reader was still a mess from her encounter with him last chapter hhhh.
> 
> I need more Makoto content ;;; I think i've been neglecting her a bit.
> 
> Reader has so much more common sense than I do. If I was in that situation, I wouldn't even be questioning my friendship with Akechi LMAO. My dumbass loves him too much


	17. From Me to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi finds your knowledge of food interesting.
> 
> After spending another day with the detective, you realize that the walls he puts up around himself are slowly crumbling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Christmas gift to you all, an extra long chapter (12k+ words) filled with Akechi fluff ~~and story~~! I was originally going to post this as a 1 day chapter on the 23rd, but I decided against it as I kept writing. <3 Happy holidays to you all! And if you don't celebrate these holidays, I hope you're having a nice winter break <333

**May 1st. Sunday. Morning.**

A weird screech like groan escaped your lips as you stretched out your body in your soft, plush bed. The warm sun was streaming into your room, making it the perfect temperature. You didn't want to leave your bed just yet, so you scrolled through the social media apps on your phone and checked out Akechi's food blog. His most recent post was the lunch you made him yesterday. The caption under the photo said, "I know I've said this nearly every time I post my lunch, but this is definitely my favorite meal so far. So nostalgic." A small giddy feeling bubbled in your stomach as a smile crawled onto your cheeks.

After you were satisfied with the amount of time you had laid in bed, you got up and went to brush your teeth. The only plans you had today were to go to the bank and cash your paycheck, and pay your rent. 

Once you got into your kitchen, you fried up some mini sausages and eggs for breakfast. While it was cooking, you opened your GPS app and searched for the name of the bank where you supposedly had money. You wondered whose money this really was. You were sure you didn't exist in this world until you showed up that day in April.

While you were chowing down on your breakfast, you received a text from Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**10:21 A.M.**

**Akechi:** Good morning L/N! I thought I'd let you know that I'm only working a half day today. I hope you haven't forgotten that you still owe me an apology dinner. :)

I haven't :) Although, I won't lie, I haven't thought about what I'm going to be cooking for you. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** How about steak? I must admit, I've been craving it recently.

I don't have steak :( Plus it's kind of expensive. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I suppose we'll just have to meet at the market later today so we can buy some. Well, I'll buy it. You have to cook it. Deal? 

Alright! Deal. Wanna meet at the market at 4:30 P.M.? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Sounds good. I'll see you then!

You took a bite of one of the sausages as you reread the messages. _Okay. This won't be so bad. Maybe it'll be fun! I swear to god if Akechi acts suspicious of me while we're shopping, I'm going to leave him in the market like an unwanted child._ You thought to yourself as you stabbed the last sausage with your fork, hoping for a relaxing hang out session with one of your best friends.

Once you finished eating breakfast, you washed your dishes and walked back to your room to get dressed. You threw on a hoodie, leggings, as well as the white converses you wore on Friday, then packed your small purse with your phone, wallet and keys, and prepared yourself to leave.

When you had everything, you left your apartment. The bank you would be going to was in Shinjuku, the financial district of Tokyo. It would take around 30 minutes by train, plus a little walking to get there. You had to admit, you were nervous. You've never been to the bank on your own, and you've never been to Shinjuku before. You hoped it wouldn't be too difficult to put away your money.

As you stepped off the train and into the Shinjuku station, you pulled up the GPS app once again and followed it to your destination. When you reached the building, you noticed just how big it was. The bank building looked to be at least five stories high. The outside was covered in clean windows that wrapped around the building. You could see the amount of people inside the lobby area from where you were standing across the street. You groaned internally, feeling extremely intimidated.

"L/N-chan?" A voice spoke up beside you as you waited for your turn to cross the street. You turned your head towards the voice to see Sae Niijima in her usual dark suit. 

"Hello Niijima-san." You said a bit nervously. She smiled down at you softly.

"Are you heading to the bank too?" She asked as the light indicated that you could cross the street. 

"Yeah. This is my first time going alone. I'm a little nervous." You mumbled as you both began walking. Sae chuckled as she walked beside you.

"I was nervous my first time too. It's alright though. I can stay with you until you're done if you'd like." Sae responded as you reached the other side of the street. You immediately perked up and smiled at her.

"Really?" You questioned, feeling relieved.

"Of course." She nodded, making any worry you were feeling disappear. You softly sighed as you entered the building and got into line to make a deposit.

You and Sae made idle chitchat as you waited for your turns. She told you about a recent case she and Akechi had closed, sending a terrible man to jail. She sounded really proud of both herself and Akechi. You told her that she needed to keep an eye on Akechi when it comes to his eating habits because you were pretty sure that he rarely got enough nutrients, to which she laughed and told you that you sounded like an overprotective mother.

"I kind of feel like a mother, considering I feed him nearly every day." You giggled as you took a step forwards, slowly inching your way to the front.

"Oh that's right. I remember he came into work with a cute little lunch box the other day. You made that?" She asked as she stepped forwards as well.

"Yeah. I love cooking." You responded, giving her a sheepish grin.

"From what I saw during lunch the other day, Akechi-kun loves your cooking." She chuckled, causing a soft heat to rise in your cheeks. "I'm glad he's finally found a caring friend like you. I don't think he's ever had someone that cares about him like this before." Your heart tightened at her words. _Even she can see how alone Akechi is._ Despite his suspicion of you, and the fact that he could be absolutely terrifying at times, you'd do your best to be a good friend. 

"That's both surprising, and yet, not surprising." You began. "He's must've met hundreds of people, some of them are bound to have his best interest in mind, but I can see why he wouldn't trust them. Most people probably just want to use him for his fame. He immediately assumed that I wanted something from him when I first offered to make him lunch." You laughed gently, realizing that you two have come a long way since then, but you still had a long ways to go until he really trusted you.

"Did you want something from him?" She asked, eyeing you a bit. 

"Does friendship count?" You looked at her as you spoke. She just shook her head and smiled.

"Did you know who he was when you first met him?" She questioned, making you feel like you were being interrogated. She definitely cared about Akechi. You wondered if she considered him like a little brother.

You hoped your lying skills have gotten better. You couldn't just tell Sae that you knew who he was when you met since you acted like you didn't. "I didn't know who he was, but he did look vaguely familiar. I'm pretty sure I saw him on TV or something before we met." You explained, looking away from her, acting like you were just watching where you were going as you walked forwards a few more steps.

"I see." You couldn't tell if you had convinced her or not. "How did you two meet?" Sae asked as she stepped up beside you again.

"We met the day before school started. I was doing some exploring and wanted to figure out the way to school, when he approached me out of no where in the station and started talking to me. I'm not 100% sure why he talked to me out of all people, but I think it was probably because I looked like a lost puppy." You giggled a bit. "Then when the day was over and I was heading home, he showed up again and we took the trains together again." You finished, looking back up at Sae. She was nodding her head, looking interested.

"I could see him doing that. They don't call him the 'Ace Detective Prince' for nothing." She responded, a soft laugh coloring her voice.

Finally, you and Sae reached the front of the line and were able to speak to a bank teller. Sae helped you deposit your paycheck into your savings account, then she deposited money of her own. Once you and Sae walked out of the building she sighed.

"Well. I should get back to work. It was nice talking to you again." Sae hummed as she smiled at you. 

"It was nice talking to you too! Goodbye for now." You smiled and waved before you both walked off in separate directions. You wondered if Sae's desires had become distorted yet. _Probably not. It's the need to catch the Phantom Thieves that distorts her desires, right?_ You were too afraid to check.

**Lunch**

You sighed softly as you entered your apartment complex and headed towards your apartment. If you remembered how paying bills in Japan worked correctly, the money from your account would automatically be taken at the end of the day and your rent would be paid for. You hoped you wouldn't have to hunt down your landlord, though, you were bound to meet them at some point.

Once you got into your apartment, you went straight to your laptop in order to do some research on people who could possibly have palaces. You wanted to find a relatively safe grinding place, away from Akechi and the Thieves. You figured that the people who had palaces would be famous or CEOs or something like that. First, you googled for possible corrupt employers or bigwigs. You found quite a few people, which didn't surprise you. You wrote down their names, then searched for celebrities who've had accusations against them or had run-ins with the law. Many names popped up, to which you immediately wrote them all down. You figured you'd make a list in case you couldn't figure out someone's Nav information, then you could just start working on the next person.

You sat in your chair in front of your laptop, saying names and distortions for about 5 minutes before you found someone who had an actual palace. The mans name was Kato Shinji. Apparently, he was the founder of a popular clothing brand and had been caught money laundering. He was paid millions of yen for supporting an underground crime ring. Despite being caught red handed, he wasn't arrested. 

You immediately began googling his name, looking for possible distortions, as well as seeing if he supported Shido at all. You really didn't want to have another run in with Akechi so soon. You breathed a sigh of relief when you didn't find anything about Shinji supporting Shido, of course, this could also mean that he supported him in secret, but you crossed your fingers and hoped that wasn't true.

After spending way too long trying to guess what the distortion was, you gave up and looked for the location of his distortion instead, which didn't take long at all. You found out that it was located at the headquarters of his company in Shibuya. Since you already had two of the 3 pieces of information that you needed, you figured you'd continue attempting to figure out his distortion for a little while longer before giving up.

"Hospital." You groaned, laying your head against your desk.

"Distortion invalid." The app responded.

"Military base." You mumbled.

"Distortion invalid." The app said again.

"Farm." You sighed.

"Target confirmed. Tap to begin navigation." The app said.

"Sewers. Wait-" You sat up quickly and stared at your phone. "Farm?!" You exclaimed, unsure of why he saw his company as a farm. _I suppose I'll see why soon enough._ You hoped that the shadows wouldn't be too strong, and you hoped that this man wouldn't be so corrupt that you'd have to change his heart.

By the time you had gathered the items you would need and left your apartment, it was around 1 P.M. You set a timer on your phone that would go off in three hours. You hoped it would work in the Metaverse.

It didn't take long to find the building his distortion was located at. You hid in an alleyway across the street and activated the Nav, causing the world to swirl and darken around you, before settling and revealing a massive cattle farm.

 _Holy shit._ You thought as you realized why his distortion was a farm. There were thousands of cattle standing in lines that went into a giant metal building, probably to be milked by employees of the company. You could only assume that the cattle represented his customers, and their milk represented the immense amount of money Shinji made from them. There were hundreds of milk tanks to the right of the milking facility. Every time a group of cattle would walk out of the milking facility, another milk tank would appear, holding at least 500 gallons of milk. _And I thought Okumura was greedy._

You hesitated to head towards the palace. There was a good chance that you weren't going to like what you see in there, and you knew for a fact that you wouldn't be able to take down a palace on your own. At least not yet. Plus, you couldn't just go around changing hearts haphazardly. You weren't supposed to have the power to change hearts in the first place.

You decided that you wouldn't go too far in, just far enough to find shadows and fight them. You wanted to get some extra cash and you wanted to relieve some stress. Fighting shadows was kind of therapeutic in a way. It was easy to figure out their strategies and use their weaknesses to your advantage. 

The moment you entered, regret immediately jabbed at your stomach. Employees wearing the companies uniforms were shuffling around. Their cheeks were sunken in and their eyes were dull. They looked like mindless zombies.

You slowly made your way through the main facility before finding a handful of shadows to take on. You lured one away and ripped its mask off. The humanoid like figure exploded into a pile of murky darkness before turning into a green doll looking thing with a boomerang. You recognized it as one of the shadows you could find in Madarame's palace. You hoped it would be a similar level to the ones in his palace too.

As you took on the shadow, you realized that it was just as strong as you were, if not stronger. It tried to make you dizzy multiple times before giving up and throwing its boomerang at you in an attempt to damage you. You were able to jump out of the way with little effort. Your attacks weren't doing much to it, but it was considerably slower than you, even without the aid from Artemis.

After casting multiple Bufu attacks, you finally managed to beat it, immediately feeling the effects of defeating a higher leveled enemy. Once you had taken a small break, you headed back into the room where the shadows were and lured another out. You were able to repeat this process multiple times before your alarm went off, signaling that you should head back into the real world and get prepared for your market trip with Akechi.

Since you hadn't gone that far in, you didn't find any saferooms. You had to travel back to the entrance on foot, which you didn't mind. You were pretty close to the entrance. 

Once you exited the building, you headed straight back to your apartment with your pockets full of extra cash.

**Afternoon**

By the time you got back to your apartment, you had about 20 minutes to get to the market. You quickly washed your face, brushed your hair, redid your makeup, and reapplied deodorant and perfume. You would've preferred to take a shower before you met up with Akechi, but this would have to do. You got quite the workout in the Metaverse.

As you approached the market, you noticed the brunette detective standing a ways away from the entrance, wearing his normal Sunday attire and holding his briefcase in his right hand, staring down at his phone. You walked over to him and stopped in front of him, giving him a smile. Akechi looked up from his phone and gave you a fake princely smile in return until he realized it was just you and not some random fan. You watched as his smile crawled up his face a bit further and slightly reached his eyes.

"Took you long enough." He joked, causing you to roll your eyes.

"I'm actually right on time. It's your fault for getting here early." You said in jest as you motioned for him to follow you. You received a chuckle in response as you both entered the store. When you entered, you walked over to a hand basket rack and took one, then led Akechi to the butcher section at the back of the store. "Alright, what do you want?" You asked as you stared at the selection.

Akechi hummed and tapped his chin as he stared at the meat in front of him, trying to decide what he wanted. You could feel him glance at you a few times as he tried to decide.

"I can cook anything." You said, assuming that was why he kept looking at you. From the corner of your eye, you saw him perk up a bit and he approached the butcher.

"Good evening, may I get two cuts of the filet mignon please?" He asked, offering the man behind the counter a charming smile. The butcher nodded and wrapped up the meat for you to take. Akechi picked up the meat and you held out the basket so he could put them in there. Before you could pull the basket away from him, he snatched it from your hands. His gloved fingers brushed against yours, causing you to shiver slightly at the contact.

You swallowed as you began to get flustered a bit. You quickly turned away from him and looked around the store, trying to keep your mind off the heat in your cheeks by thinking of any other things you might need for dinner tonight.

"Do we need anything else?" He questioned as he followed your gaze around the store.

"Rosemary." You said as you walked towards the produce section with Akechi in tow. Your eyes immediately landed on the peaches that were on sale. Akechi must've noticed your staring because he chuckled.

"You like peaches?" He asked as he walked up to the fruits.

"They're one of my favorite fruits." You hummed and reached over, giving the peaches a gentle squeeze to feel how soft they are.

"What are you doing?" Akechi asked, sounding confused. You glanced up at him to see that he was giving you a weird look.

"Feeling them to see how ripe they are." You explained, squeezing another one.

"How do you mean?" He questioned as he hesitantly reached over to one of the peaches. You took his hand and guided it to the peach you were just touching. You felt his hand tense up and his fingers stiffened under your gentle grip. 

"Squeeze this one gently." You said as you rested his hand on the fruit. He did as you told him to do. "Feel how it's kind of hard? It's a little soft, but it's not quite ripe yet." You explained. He hummed and nodded, then you guided his hand to another peach. You noticed that he didn't tense as much this time. "Now give this one a squeeze." You instructed. You watched as Akechi recoiled a bit, leaving slight dents in the fruit from his fingers. You put a hand over your mouth and giggled. "That one is very ripe. When you buy peaches, I suggest that you buy ones that are close to being ripe, that way they don't spoil if you don't eat them right away." You explained to him.

"I see." He mumbled as he glanced around the produce section before walking up to the bananas. "My mother used to tell me that the ones with a little bit of brown on the peel tasted the best." He murmured as you walked up beside him.

"Yeah. If they have too much brown on the peel, they're overripe and they'll taste too sweet. Although, they're great for making banana bread." You responded. He turned his head towards you.

"I've never had banana bread before." He said before he looked back at the bananas.

"I'm not a big fan of banana bread." You began, watching a slight frown twitch at his lips. "But if you'd like to try it, I suppose I could bake you some." You finished, trying not to giggle at the look of disappointment that had flashed across his face. He immediately perked up when you said you'd make him a loaf and grabbed a bunch of bananas, then shoved them into the basket.

"What else do we need to bake banana bread?" He asked, looking like an excited child, completely forgetting the reason why you both came here in the first place. 

"First, we should get the ingredients to make our dinner." You giggled, holding a hand over your mouth. His eyes widened slightly and he gave you a bashful smile.

"Ah yes. My apologies." He said a bit quickly, realizing how excited he had gotten. You just shook your head.

"No need to apologize." You laughed softly as you walked up to the herbs and grabbed both rosemary and thyme.

"Thyme?" He asked. "I thought you just said rosemary."

"I did, but now I have a recipe idea in my head and it includes thyme." You responded, giving him a smile as you placed the items in the basket. "Hmmm. I also want to see if they have avocado oil."

"So specific. Wouldn't regular oil work just fine?" He questioned you, sounding genuinely interested about why you couldn't just use plain vegetable oil.

"In the recipe I'm currently coming up with, I'll be using a lot of butter, so something healthier like avocado oil will be better." You explained as you walked to a different section of the store with Akechi following beside you.

"Oh I see!" He chirped as you led him to the aisle with the cooking oils. You both scanned the shelves until Akechi pointed to the oil you were looking for.

"Perfect." You hummed as you grabbed one and placed it in the basket. "Now for banana bread stuff." You mumbled and put a hand to your chin, trying to remember the ingredients you already had. Akechi patiently waited as you thought. "I have flour, vanilla extract, eggs, baking soda, and sugar..." You trailed off, unable to think of anything else you might need.

"Cinnamon?" Akechi suggested nervously, unsure if that was something that could be helpful. The speed at which your head snapped to him made him flinch. You smiled brightly at him and gave him a gentle slap on the back.

"Yes! That's what I was forgetting! To the spices!" You cheered before you began walking. Akechi laughed as he followed you. You quickly found what you needed, then headed to the checkout counter to pay. Akechi insisted that he paid for all of it, even though he said he would only be paying for the steak.

**Evening**

After you both took off your shoes, you and Akechi set the groceries down on your kitchen table when you entered your apartment. As you were setting up the ingredients, you heard Akechi open his briefcase. You turned to look at him, half expecting him to be pointing a gun at you, only to be pleasantly surprised when you found him putting on the apron you had bought him. He glanced up at you, only to quickly look away as he tied the strings behind his back when he made eye contact with you, looking a bit bashful.

Once you had everything ready, you put on your own apron and gestured for Akechi to come to you after you washed your hands. 

"Firstly, wash your hands." You told him and got out a dry towel for him to use. While he was washing his hands, you cut up some red potatoes and sprinkled them with garlic salt, olive oil, parmesan cheese and some dried herbs, and waited for your oven to reach 400°f. Once it did, you put the baking sheet holding the potatoes in and set a timer for 35 minutes.

When he was done you put his steak in front of him. "Alright. Lightly cover your filet in oil." You instructed as you showed him what to do first. He hesitated when pouring the oil, glancing nervously at you. "You can't mess up this step. If you pour too much, we can easily wipe it off." That seemed to convince him that it was okay because he tilted the oil bottle a bit and covered the meat in a light amount of oil. "Perfect. Now sprinkle some salt on both sides." You said as you shook the salt shaker and lightly coated both sides.

"Can't I use a measuring spoon for this?" He chuckled awkwardly, watching as you chaotically sprinkled your dinner with seasoning.

"This isn't something you need a measuring spoon for." You responded, handing him the salt. He just stared at it in your hand. Exhaling softly, you nudged him out of the way gently so you could have better access to his dinner and put on the salt for him. "I'm not helping you with this next step." You said as you reached for the pepper. "Freshly ground black pepper." You hummed as you turned the top of the grinder to crack the peppers, then you handed it to Akechi. You watched as he hesitantly added the pepper, being extremely careful of where he put it. "Perfect." You gave him a pat on the back then grabbed both the salt and pepper. You added a layer of both spices onto the cutting board you were seasoning your steak on, then rolled the side of the filet into the layer of salt and pepper so that it coated the meat.

Akechi just stared at your cutting board, then looked back at his.

"Just put a light layer of both salt and pepper onto the board so you can coat the edges of the meat." You explained, watching as he slowly did what he was told.

"Like this?" He asked, referring to the amount of pepper and salt he had laid out. You hummed and nodded in response, then he rolled his filet across the board and coated it.

"Great job." You encouraged before you walked over to your stove and took out two pans, one for you and one for him. You also got out a drying rack so you could let your meat rest when you needed to. His eyes widened as he stared at the pans.

"A-are we cooking our filets separately?" He stuttered, looking like he didn't want to do that.

"That was the plan, but if you prefer that I cooked them together then I can." You said, giving him the option to let you do it. This recipe was more complicated than anything the two of you had made together so far, but you wanted him to at least try. He could use the experience.

"What exactly will we be doing?" He asked as he stared at the stove.

"Searing the meat. All you have to do it add a bit of avocado oil and leave the meat on the pan for about a minute, then flip it, then we'll take it off the heat and let it rest." You explained. This part was easy. He nodded slowly and approached you. You turned on the stove, setting it at about medium high heat and waited a bit until the pans were hot enough. Then you took the oil and poured some into your pan. "I don't have a specific amount in mind, just pour until it coats the center of the pan." You instructed and watched as he did so. "Good." You nodded and smiled at him, earning a shaky smile in return.

You walked around him and opened a drawer, taking out the tongs so you could flip your meat when you needed to. 

"What's that for?" Akechi asked as you placed the tongs beside him.

"To flip the meat." You hummed as you took your filet in your hands and placed it on the hot pan. It immediately made a satisfying sizzling sound. Akechi awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he stared at your cooking dinner. "You can do it." You encouraged as you nodded to his filet. He placed the filet into the pan and flinched when it started to sizzle. You glanced at the time on your phone. "Now we just need to wait about a minute, and then we can flip it."

Once it was ready to be flipped, you took the tongs and turned your meat, then handed them to Akechi, who flipped his as well. After another minute of searing, you lifted your filet mignon and placed it on a rack to let it rest for a few minutes.

"Alright. It's getting hot in here. While it rests, I'm going to go change into something cooler." You sighed, earning a hum as a response from Akechi as you walked towards your room. You removed the hoodie you were wearing and put on a plain t-shirt. When you walked back, you noticed that Akechi had taken off his sweater vest and was currently retying the straps around his body. He glanced up at you, then looked back at your waiting dinner.

"What are we doing next?" He asked, watching as you walked back up to your stove. 

"Add a ton of butter. We're going to baste the filet next." You explained, receiving a confused stare in return. You lowered the temperature of the stove then dropped five tablespoons of butter into each pan. "Move the pan around so the butter melts faster." You said, tilting the pan in multiple directions. Akechi did his best to copy you. "Good. Now we wait until the butter starts foaming."

"So, how exactly does one baste?" He asked, sounding more curious than nervous now. You reached into your silverware drawer and grabbed two tablespoons, then handed one to him. You also got out your meat thermometer. 

"You're going to put the meat on one side of the pan, and tilt it ever so slightly so that some of the the butter pools at the other side, then you're going to use this spoon, and pour the butter on top of the meat." You explained as the butter started to foam.

"May I... wait and watch you first?" He asked. You nodded at him and put your meat back onto your pan.

"Don't wait too long, or your butter will end up burning." You said as you started basting your meat, letting him watch and learn. After a moment, Akechi began basting his filet as well, doing his best to go as fast as you were. Every 30 seconds or so, you'd flip the meat and continue basting. Once the internal temperature reached about 90°f, you removed it from the pan and let it sit for five more minutes. Akechi did the same as you once his also reached about 90°f.

"What do we do now?" He asked after he set the meat down. 

"We wait. Then we'll add crushed garlic, thyme and rosemary, and keep basting." You explained as you started crushing some garlic cloves.

"Um." Akechi said from behind you, causing you to turn and look at him. You raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean to sound rude or insensitive, but what's that on your arm?" He asked. A smile twitched at your lips as you looked down at the ugly fake tattoo on your bicep.

"Ren and I got matching tattoos." You joked, watching as Akechi cringed a bit.

"If you wanted a tattoo that badly, you should've said something to me. I could've found you a much better tattoo artist." He sighed, unable to look at the mess on your arm. You couldn't stop the cackle that left your lips and you covered your mouth. Akechi just gave you a bewildered look.

"It's fake." You squeaked out. "For whatever reason, Ren decided that out of all of the prizes at the arcade, that this was the best we could do." You giggled, looking at your arm. The tiger woman looked more like a blob now. 

"I see." He hummed, almost looking like he didn't care.

Once five minutes had passed, you and Akechi got back to work and finished your dinner. By the time your filet mignons were fully cooked, the potatoes were done. You told him to go sit down and that you'd make his plate, which he happily did, looking absolutely exhausted. You set his plate in front of him, then sat across from him. You cut into your steak and hummed in satisfaction at the color. Medium well, just how you liked it. You watched as Akechi slowly cut into his, only for him to brighten up as he looked at the center of his filet mignon. He turned the meat to show you what it looked like. His was more medium than medium well, but he didn't seem to mind. You thought he looked kind of proud.

"Beautiful! I'm so proud of you." You clapped, watching as his face lit up at your words.

"It's all thanks to you. I would've ruined this dish had it not been for your instructions and guidance." You just rolled your eyes, but you could feel a heat creeping up your neck. Akechi hummed softly as he chewed his first bite. "Delicious. The meat is juicy and flavorful. This recipe is definitely 5 star restaurant worthy." He said before continuing to eat.

You did your best not to choke on your food as he complimented the recipe. You weren't even sure that the recipe would work out, considering you just guessed when it came to cook times and what not.

When Akechi had finished his meal, he took his plate to the sink and rinsed it off so you'd have an easier time cleaning it.

"I can stay and help you clean up if you'd like." He said as you approached him and placed your plate next to his. You looked up at him and just stared for a moment, taking note of the dullness of his eyes. _Cooking this must've been mentally exhausting for him._ He raised an eyebrow when you didn't respond to him.

"I don't mean to sound rude or insensitive, but you look exhausted." You joked, smiling at him slightly before moving the dirty pans and baking sheet closer to the sink so you could wash them.

"But I made half of that mess." He insisted, moving closer to you. You swallowed, trying to ignore the fact that he was standing so close that you could smell the laundry detergent he used when washing his clothes. It smelled fresh, like flowers and honey.

"A-are you sure?" You stuttered as you glanced back at him, having to crane your neck a bit as you looked up at him. He nodded, then glanced at your sink. You sighed through your nose. "Alright." You breathed as you handed him the dishwashing gloves you normally wear. "You can wash your half first."

He nodded and put on the gloves then got to work. You walked to your couch and turned on the TV. While you waited, you watched some cheesy drama about a princess being in love with her personal knight, even though she was supposed to marry the prince of another kingdom.

You didn't even realize how much time had past until the credits of the episode were rolling, leaving you wondering what would happen next.

"Well." Akechi hummed, catching your attention. He had a slight smirk on his lips, causing you to furrow your eyebrows in confusion. You glanced over at the sink to find all of the dirty dishes cleaned and drying.

"Akechi." You groaned, dramatically falling backwards onto your couch. "I said to only do your half." 

"You seemed so into that show, I didn't want to tell you that I was finished. So I just did all of them." He laughed, raising a hand to cover his mouth.

"Now I feel bad." You mumbled, giving him a half assed glare from your spot on the couch.

"Don't. I did them of my own free will." He responded as he packed his apron back into his briefcase and began putting his shoes back on. You stood and walked over to the door so that you could let him out. You opened the door as he began walking towards you. "Thank you for dinner. I enjoyed spending time with you today." He said, sounding a little formal. You assumed it was because he was tired.

"Thank you for cleaning the dishes." You giggled a bit. "And I enjoyed hanging out with you today too." You responded, earning a small, exhausted smile in return.

"Goodnight L/N. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, before turning around and starting to walk away.

"Goodnight Akechi." You said back, watching as he walked away before you closed the door.

You quickly took a hot shower, then laid down on your bed, ready for sleep to take over you. _Today was fun. He didn't try to accuse me of being the Wolf like he accuses the Phantom Thieves in the future. He didn't act suspicious or question me. We just had a nice, relaxing day together. Okay it wasn't super relaxing. I probably tortured Akechi by having him cook his steak on his own, but in my defense, he wanted to cook with me. I told him that I'd do the cooking if he bought the ingredients._ You thought to yourself as your consciousness slowly began fading. _I wonder if he'd let me take him to the market with me more often..._

**May 2nd. Monday. Morning.**

You sighed softly as you walked to your bathroom, ready to start the day. Your memories of what happens in the game were slowly fading. If your memory served you right, today was the day that Kamoshida confessed to his crimes. _I should probably write down everything that happens so I don't forget._

Once you finished your morning routine, and you had your breakfast and lunch cooking, you sat at your kitchen table and began writing down all of the important events that you could remember. For the ones where you couldn't remember the exact day, you just put your best estimate. There were only a few events where you didn't remember the days they took place, so you weren't too worried.

After eating breakfast, you packed up the lunches and prepared to leave. As you exited the apartment complex, you spotted Akechi walking to his waiting spot, looking a little out of breath. He smiled at you when you made eye contact.

"Good morning L/N." He breathed.

"Good morning Akechi. Did you sleep through your alarm or something?" You giggled, putting a hand over your mouth in an attempt to hide your smile. Akechi smirked a bit and sighed.

"Is it that obvious?" He chuckled, shaking his head a bit. 

"Considering you were almost late today, I would say yes, it is obvious." You laughed playfully.

"So, do you have any plans for the break?" Akechi asked as you neared the station. 

"Oh that's right. We have Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off." You mumbled as you thought about what you could do. "Well, we could meet up and bake that banana bread that you wanted. Maybe I'll see if Makoto is free. I haven't spent much time with her recently." You thought out loud.

"I'll be free on Wednesday!" He chirped, sounding excited. You looked up at him and giggled a little.

"Alright. Wanna meet at my apartment or yours?" You asked, making eye contact with him.

"Since we cooked at your apartment the last few times, I suppose we could do it at my apartment." He hummed, looking back at the path ahead of you with a bright smile on his face. _He really must like sweets._

The moment you stepped into the school, Akechi was whisked away by his overwhelming number of fans. You sighed and silently walked to your locker to get your books. As you reached your locker, you realized that Brook was standing alone, a little ways away from the fangirls. When you made eye contact with her, she approached you.

"Hey. Is Kaylee not here?" You asked as you reached into your locker.

"Hi. She's in the restroom. I think." Brook responded.

"You think?" You questioned, a light laugh in your tone. She smiled at your confusion.

"She was with us when we walked in, now I don't know where she is. She might be at the library or cafeteria. She's somewhere around here." She reassured you. Despite still being unsure if you were ready to forgive Kaylee or not, you still cared about her. You were a little worried that she had gotten sick or something, so it was nice to know that she was probably just avoiding Callie and the other fangirls.

"Alright." You laughed as you shut your locker. Akechi was doing his best to keep the girls off of him. He looked relieved when you had your books and were ready to head to the cafeteria. 

**Lunch**

You walked with Akechi to the library in a blissful silence. You couldn't help but giggle at the look on his face, he looked ready to eat. A smile twitched at his lips as you looked at him.

"What?" He asked, glancing down at you from the corner of his eyes.

"You just look hungry is all." You hummed in response.

"Don't be upset." He began, looking a bit sheepish. "But, due to sleeping through my alarm, I wasn't able to eat breakfast." He finished, unable to look at you. You sighed and looked at him in faux disappointment. His adams apple bobbed up and down as he shrunk under your gaze.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've made you something quick for breakfast. Like a sandwich. You could've eaten it on the way to school." You mumbled, not actually disappointed in him. He finally looked at you with a complicated expression on his face. He looked like he was struggling to form a sentence. "Tell me next time, okay?" You smiled up at him, doing your best to reassure him. _Does he still not believe that we're friends? Or is it something else?_

"I'll keep that in mind." He murmured as you both entered the library, a ghost of a smile resting on his lips.

Once you sat at your lunch table, Akechi was wiggling slightly in his seat, eyeing your bag. You chuckled as you reached into your bag to get your lunches. The moment you set it down in front of the celebrity detective, he gracefully removed the cloth that held it together with a single, swift movement. When you opened yours you began explaining what you had made for lunch today.

"Okay so, today I made tempura chicken, with stir-fried sugar snap peas and the leftover potatoes from last night. Oh and also rice." You explained, pleasantly surprised that he waited for you to finish your monolog before he started eating this time. The chicken made a satisfying crunch when he bit into it and he closed his eyes as he chewed, then he stuffed one of the snap peas into his mouth.

"The tempura batter is perfect. It has a nice crunch and yet it's fluffy, in a way. The chicken itself is moist and has a delicate flavor. The snap peas are crisp and fresh. I must admit, I wish there was more." He chuckled before he began eating again. You swung your legs back and forth as you smiled at him, a giddy feeling fluttering around in your chest. 

"I'm glad you like it. I'm sorry I didn't put more." You laughed softly before you started eating your own meal.

As you were eating, Akechi turned his head, following someone's movement. You glanced at him, then turned to look at who he was looking at. Brook was approaching you with a mildly concerned look on her face.

"Have you seen Kaylee today?" Brook asked as she stopped beside you, causing you to raise an eyebrow.

"No? Why?" You questioned back, worry beginning to bubble in your stomach.

"Apparently she didn't show up for class, and I can't find her anywhere." Brook explained, making you frown. You glanced over at Akechi, seeing that he had his eyebrows furrowed.

"Have you messaged her?" He asked Brook, going into detective mode.

"Yeah. Both Callie and I have. Can you try texting her? Maybe she'll respond to you." Brook said. You nodded in response and pulled out your phone to text her. "Let me know if she says anything." Brook finished before turning and walking away. You glanced at your phone, noticing that despite having good reception, your message hasn't been delivered. 

"My message isn't sending. I wonder where she's at." You mumbled, receiving a thoughtful, "Hm.," from Akechi.

"Has she ever ditched school before?" He asked you.

"Not to my knowledge. She's always been a good student." You responded, trying to will your message to send by glaring at it.

"Well. She's a grown woman. I'm sure she can handle herself." He said, trying to reassure you.

"Yeah. A grown woman in a foreign country who doesn't speak the native language." You groaned, immediately thinking the worst. 

"Ah. That's a good point. Hopefully she shows up soon." He said, looking a bit down at your dismissal. 

"I'm sorry." You sighed, laying your head on the table, feeling guilty.

"It's alright. Your friend is potentially missing. It's only natural that you'd be worried." Akechi said softly, making you feel a little better.

"She'll show up at some point, right?" You asked, glancing up at him.

"I believe she will." He hummed, smiling at you.

**Afterschool**

Your shoes tapped softly against the floor of Shujin as you made your way to your classroom. There was undoubtedly an excited buzz in the air. Kamoshida had definitely confessed to his crimes. You wondered how it went. 

As you entered your classroom, all of the students immediately looked at you and quieted. A strange feeling washed over you. You were pretty sure that they were all talking about you. 

"Good afternoon everyone." You said, glancing around the room, looking at all of their faces. They all mumbled a "hello", or "good evening" back. While you were walking around the room, helping the kids who needed your help, you overheard two female students talking.

"Did you hear about that big clothing brand?"

"No? Who? And what happened?"

"That streetwear company Walkers, or something. I heard that the CEO was caught in another scandal."

"The CEO? Another? Yikes."

"Yeah! Kato Shinji! One of his employees leaked a video of him visiting a fox farm. Apparently, the farm he visited is where he gets all of the fur he uses in his clothing lines. All of the foxes were stuffed in itty bitty cages. There were live ones eating dead ones because they were so underfed. And the worst part was when he watched some of the employees kill one of the poor foxes! It was so brutal!"

 _You've got to be fucking kidding me. I'm not strong enough to deal with Kato Shinji on my own. Damnit. What the hell am I supposed to do about him?_ You thought to yourself as you did your best to pay attention to the person you were helping. You wanted to complain about having gone into his palace and learning about how shitty of a person he was, but from the looks of it, you were bound to find out about him at some point. You were kind of glad that you already had all of his information.

_Maybe Igor will have something for me when we see each other again. He did mention that the other day, didn't he? Would whatever he has for me help me when I eventually take on Shinji's palace? I hope so._

**Evening**

As you were packing up your stuff, a familiar brunette appeared in the corner of your vision. You looked up and smiled at the Shujin student council president as she waited patiently for you. Makoto responded with a smile of her own.

Once you had your bag slung over your shoulder, you walked towards her, ready to head home for the day.

"Did you hear?" Makoto asked as you walked with her to the entrance of the school.

"Hear what?" You asked back, glancing at her.

"Kamoshida confessed to his crimes." She explained, a harsh tone to her voice. You swallowed, recalling the scene that should've played out.

"Oh wow. What happened?" You questioned, hoping you didn't screw anything up.

"He walked into the gymnasium during a morning assembly and said that he had been reborn. After that, he walked up onto the stage, and confessed to everything. He confessed to verbally abusing students, physically abusing the volleyball teams, and sexually harassing the female students." She said lowly, an angry glint in her maroon eyes. "He... also mentioned you." You froze, eyes widening and mouth dropping open.

"What..." You trailed off, unable to form a cohesive thought. _Oh no._

"You aren't going to like what I'm about to tell you." She practically growled, absolutely furious. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her fists were clenched so tight that her knuckles were turning white. You took a deep breath and waited for her to explain further. "He said that he had enjoyed toying with you. He said he felt powerful, watching you panic in his presence. Not only that, but he admitted to following you home multiple times." She hissed. 

The world swirled around you and you nearly collapsed from the shock. Makoto was quick to your side, wrapping her arms around you so you didn't fall to the ground. _He followed me home?! I had no idea._

"What the fuck?" You breathed, struggling to believe what she had just told you. _Why didn't any of the students I tutor tell me?_

"Ann Takamaki convinced him to turn himself in." She said like she was trying to console you. Makoto helped you sit on the floor, taking a seat next to you. You were glad that there weren't many people still here. 

You shakily ran your fingers through your hair, trying to control your breathing so you didn't have a panic attack. Makoto gently rubbed your back, patiently waiting for you to calm down enough to leave.

Once you finally caught your breath, you and Makoto stood, and began your trek to the entrance again. Makoto stuck close to you as you walked with her. Her arm brushed against yours with every step. You didn't mind though. Having her so close to you helped you stay grounded.

As you exited the building, a certain detective was standing outside, chatting with a few female Shujin students, holding a duffle bag. You glanced at Makoto, noticing how she was attempting to hide a smirk as she looked at Akechi, who had turned to look at you both.

When you made eye contact with Akechi, the overwhelming urge to run into his arms and sob took over you. It took all of your strength to keep yourself calm. Although, he seemed to notice that you were upset because he tilted his head ever so slightly, a frown twitching at his lips. You just did your best to smile at him.

Akechi bid the girls he was talking to farewell and approached you and Makoto.

"Good evening." Akechi hummed charmingly, although he was looking at you while he spoke.

"Good evening Akechi-kun." Makoto responded, becoming closed off. You just nodded at him, pretty sure that if you spoke, you'd start crying. "May I ask what you're doing here?" She asked him. You were wondering the same thing.

"Well, I was planning on going to that new bakery that opened up about ten minutes away from here, and I was going to see if L/N wanted to join me. You're welcome to come as well if you'd like." He said, giving her a closed eyed smile. _He's talking differently again._

"You're taking a duffle bag to get dessert?" She questioned, sounding like she was interrogating him. Her tone almost made you laugh.

"Originally, I wanted to go to the gym, however, when I got there, a crowd of my fans had already gathered. So now, here I am." He explained, chuckling awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head.

"I see." Makoto said, eyeing him suspiciously. "While I'd love to join, I have to get home and make dinner for my sis. I'll see you later N/N-chan. Goodbye Akechi-kun." She finished, smiling at you gently.

"Goodnight Mako-chan." You mumbled softly, waving at her as she turned. Akechi nodded at her before she walked towards the station.

"Did I do something wrong?" Akechi asked bashfully, talking like he normally does when you're both alone. The change in his voice finally clicked in your mind. _He doesn't use his overflowing charm on me like he does with everyone else. He isn't talking to me using his real voice, but he's definitely not trying as hard when it comes to being princely and charming. When did he start relaxing like this around me?_ He tilted his head at you as he waited for your answer.

"Oh sorry. I'm pretty sure that she thinks you're going to kill me and stuff my body in that bag of yours." You teased, giving him a weary smile.

"May I ask what happened?" He questioned, looking down at you with a look of pity.

"I'll explain when we get somewhere private." You mumbled, shaking your head a bit. "You said something about a bakery?" You asked.

"Oh yes! Apparently, the reviews of the shop are glowing. Although, if you'd rather go home, I understand." Akechi chirped, looking a little hopeful. 

"I could use the distraction. Lead the way." You breathed, ready to eat your feelings. He nodded and turned and started walking in the direction of the bakery. There must've been dozens of people standing in line for the bakery. However, when they noticed Akechi approaching, they immediately moved out of the way for him, murmuring and squealing about how he was famous and oh so attractive.

"Stay close to me." He said under his breath as you got closer to the shop. You didn't hesitate to walk closer to him as you began walking through the crowd.

Once you entered the bakery, the older lady behind the counter cooed at the two of you, looking excited that, according to her, a "cute couple," had visited her. She happily gave you both samples, explaining the ingredients and how much love her, her husband, and granddaughter put into baking them. 

You hummed in satisfaction as you took a bite of the simple chocolate chip cookie you had split with Akechi. It was soft and moist, and the chocolate chips were so sweet.

"More." You said, then looked up at Akechi with a pleading gaze. He gave a TV laugh and asked for half a dozen. He also bought two slices of chocolate cake and a mini coffee cake for himself.

"Well. Shall we head somewhere a bit more private to enjoy our snacks?" He asked, holding the bag that held your desserts. You looked up at him and nodded vigorously, excited to try the cake, hoping the flavor would make you feel better.

He led you out of the bakery, doing his best to shield you from the crowd and practically sprinted with you to the station in order to escape the group. 

"That could've gone better." He chuckled before giving you a concerned look. "Are you alright?" He asked as you boarded the subway to Shibuya.

"Yeah." You breathed, trying not to show just how out of shape you are. It was easier to run in the Metaverse when you had Artemis helping you out. "I just hate running." That got him to chuckle a bit.

"Me too. I prefer bouldering when it comes to exercising." He responded, running his free hand through his hair in an attempt to make it look like he didn't just run from a crowd of his fans. You gave an airy laugh as you watched him fail. He glanced at you and frowned, clearly upset that he couldn't look his best while in public.

"Here. Let me." You said, removing your school uniform gloves and stuffing them in your pockets. His eyes widened and he froze slightly as he watched you get closer to him. You reached your hands up and ran your fingers through his silky soft hair, untangling it and straightening it out so he wouldn't have to worry about his image. Akechi squeezed his eyes shut tightly as you gently combed your fingers through his hair one last time. "There. All fixed." You hummed as you pulled away from him and put your hands back into your gloves.

Akechi hesitantly opened his eyes and glanced around the waiting platform. Thankfully, there weren't that many people around since rush hour was coming to an end, so none of the people had paid any attention to you two.

"Thank you." He said quietly, lowering his head and looking away from you. The conflicted look on his face pulled at your heartstrings. You forgot that you had to be more careful around him. You were comfortable with affection, but he was still very iffy about it.

When you finally reached your apartment, you threw your school bag onto your couch and excitedly got plates and silverware so you could eat your desserts.

"No dinner?" Akechi chuckled, looking less like a deer in the headlights and more like himself.

"I want to eat my feelings please and thank you." You said, setting down a plate for him and taking a seat at your kitchen table, impatiently tapping your fork against the table. Akechi raised an eyebrow before handing you the container that held the cake slices. The chocolate cake slices were huge, nearly the size of your head. You didn't feel as upset as you did when you first left Shujin, but you could still use the comfort of one of your favorite foods.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Akechi asked as you stuffed a piece of cake into your mouth. It took all of your strength not to moan. The frosting was thick and creamy. It wasn't too sweet, but it wasn't bitter like dark chocolate either. The cake itself was fluffy and moist, literally the greatest thing you've ever tasted.

"This is so good." You cried, eating another bite. Akechi sighed in response and decided to begin eating as well. He gave a soft hum of satisfaction as he chewed.

"It is delicious." He responded as he licked the extra frosting off of his fork.

"This is officially my favorite thing ever. If you ever decide to surprise me with something again, I want it to be this." You said before you took a sip of water.

"So you don't want the surprise gift I've been hiding in my bag?" He asked, giving you a slight smirk. Your head snapped up to look at him, fork half way through the cake slice.

"What?" You questioned, looking over at his duffle bag, then turning your attention back to him. He just smiled and took another bite of the cake. You sighed through your nose, mind running wild with ideas of what it could be. "Akechiiiiii." You groaned and leaned forwards. You couldn't deny that you were excited, and even a little nervous, to see what he had brought you.

He quickly covered his mouth with his hand as he laughed, trying not to choke on his mouth full of cake.

"Why don't you tell me what's been bothering you, and I'll think about giving you the surprise, since you practically just said you didn't want it." He joked, although, you could see the concern in his striking crimson eyes. You clenched your jaw slightly and sulked.

"Remember the whole Kamoshida deal? With the Phantom Thieves?" You asked, sitting back in your chair. Akechi nodded in response. "Well, apparently, today he confessed to his crimes in front of everyone at Shujin." You began to explain. Akechi sat forwards and rested his elbows against the table, resting his chin on top as he listened to you. "Makoto told me that he mentioned me during his confession." You couldn't be sure, but Akechi's pupils seemed to widen. "He said that he liked... playing with me. That he knew how I felt when around him, and he enjoyed watching me panic. It made him feel powerful or something. Also... apparently... he had followed me home on a few occasions." You finished, unable to look at him in the eyes.

"I see." Akechi said, voice much lower than it usually was. His tone sent goosebumps running up your arms and legs, the hairs on the back of your neck stood up and it was difficult to suppress the shudder that ripped its way down your spine. "Well. I'm glad he's going to be receiving the punishment he deserves. Hopefully, he'll spend the rest of his life rotting in prison." Akechi hummed, voice higher now as he tried to regain his composure. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more." He finished, before putting more cake in his mouth.

"With what he confessed to, I'm sure he'll never see the light of day again." You said softly. "And stop apologizing about that." You murmured, gently nudging his leg from under the table, getting him to look at you. "I'm just glad that you cared." You said, looking away from him as a blush spread across your cheeks at your cheesy statement. "Apparently, all of the staff and parents knew about what Kamoshida was doing, but didn't want to do anything about it. But you actually cared enough to try at least. It means a lot." You finished, mumbling towards the end.

Akechi awkwardly cleared his throat and fiddled with the fork in his hands, clearly not expecting the sentiment. You glanced at him, taking note of the pinkness on his cheeks. He set down his fork and stood from his seat, then walked over to his duffle bag. Your heart began to race and your mind became jumbled. You listened to the sound of his duffle bag opening, then some shuffling as he grabbed whatever he wanted to give you, then he zipped it closed.

You watched as he stood and carefully held the item behind his back as he approached you. He looked at you hesitantly, then revealed the item from behind his back. Your mouth fell open slightly as you stared at the black and white, Morgana-like plush he was holding in his hand.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I must condemn you and your friends crane game skills. It only took me two attempts to get it." Akechi chuckled, a tight smile resting on his face. You stood from your seat and reached for it, taking the soft plushie into your hands. "This is the one you wanted, right?" He asked, sounding a bit unsure. You just nodded as you gently squeezed the plush. "Ah. Good! You had me worried there for a moment." He hummed.

You finally looked up at him, doing your best to fight back the tears. The fact that he went out of his way to get this for you made you want to cry. You took a few quick steps towards him and pushed yourself on the tips of your toes, wrapping your arms around his neck and shoulders, squeezing him tightly, resting your head gently against his shoulder and neck. You felt him freeze up, body becoming as stiff as a board against yours. Despite both of you wearing your thick school uniforms, you could still feel the warmth of his body. He smelled like a mix of warm brown sugar and a crisp autumn breeze, almost like apples and cinnamon. 

Before you let go, you felt his arms move slightly, slowly maneuvering their ways around you. He delicately rested both of his hands on your lower back, giving his best attempt at a hug. Your heart did flips in your chest as you reveled in the warmth of this moment, but you knew that you couldn't hold him for too long. You had already shown him a lot of affection today, even if it was just helping him fix his hair. You didn't want to overwhelm him. 

Once his hands began to tremble, you decided to let go. You felt him exhale as you pulled away from him. He had probably been holding his breath. 

"Thank you." You laughed softly as you rubbed your eyes, still trying to hold back your tears. _I'm such a baby._

"Of course. I'm glad you like it." He responded, voice trembling slightly.

"I'm gunna go put him on my bed." You giggled, earning a chuckle from Akechi in response. You walked through your hallway and into your bedroom, gently placing the cat plush on your pillow, before walking out and back towards Akechi. He smiled at you before taking his seat again, looking ready to finish his cake. You hoped you didn't push him too far, but you were an affectionate person. You liked hugs and being close to people. You wanted Akechi to be able to enjoy those little things before he possibly died.

You sat back down in front of him and continued eating your cake. If you weren't careful, you'd definitely finish this entire slice in a single sitting, which Akechi seemed to notice.

"Are you going to eat that whole thing?" He teased, seeming like he was trying to move on from the little moment you just had. You assumed he probably felt awkward.

"You know it." You said in jest, shoving another piece into your mouth, savoring the flavor. A smile twitched at Akechi's lips. The murmuring of your TV set to some random channel filled up any silence between you both as you continued to eat. You knew you couldn't eat all of this at once. You would get sick.

"Be careful, or you'll get sick." Akechi said, making you squint your eyes at him. He raised an eyebrow, looking confused.

"Did you just read my mind?" You asked, trying to hide your smile. You watched as Akechi tried his best not to grin.

"Perhaps. Don't tell anyone, but I'm secretly a psychic." He put a finger to his lips and winked as he spoke. You gasped and covered your mouth in pretend shock.

"Tell me what I'm thinking." You said, leaning forwards across the table. Akechi leaned forwards as well and put his index and middle fingers to his temples, acting like he was using some kind of power. You immediately turned into a giggling mess as you waited for him to say something.

"You're thinking, 'what the hell is he doing?'" He chuckled, struggling to keep a straight face. You sat back and squealed with laughter, trying to keep yourself from wheezing. You laid your head against the table by your cake and squeaked multiple times, shoulders trembling and breath shaky. You could hear Akechi giggling from his spot across from you. It was muffled, like he had a hand over his mouth.

"Holy shit." You squeaked as you sat up to look at him. "You are a psychic." You laughed, holding your stomach. Akechi closed his eyes as he continued to laugh, making you wonder if he was genuinely laughing.

As you both took deep breaths, trying to calm down, Akechi pulled out his phone and looked at it.

"Oh my. It's gotten quite late, I should get going soon." He hummed, still trying to control his breathing. He began packing up his cake and the other dessert he bought for himself, leaving you with the cookies and your slice of cake.

You took a quick peak at the time, finding it was nearing 8:30 P.M. "Goodness." You breathed as you took his dirty dishes and placed them in the sink. When you turned to look at Akechi, you found him waiting by your front door to say goodbye.

"Well. Today was fun. Thank you for joining me on my trip to the bakery." He said, smiling at you. You just noticed the bags under his eyes. You probably looked just as tired as he did.

"Thank you for letting me. And thank you for buying me sweets." You responded, going starry-eyed at the thought of the delicious food he had bought you.

"Of course. I do owe you for cooking for me so often." His response made you frown and roll your eyes. He chuckled at your facial expression. "Am I not allowed to repay you for your kindness?" He asked.

"Not if you say that you owe me." You pouted a bit, feeling like he still felt like this was nothing more than a business transaction.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry." He smiled down at you, looking kind of done with this conversation. You felt like you should wrap this up, not wanting to keep him here longer than you had to.

"I'll forgive you, for now." You teased, returning his smile. His eyes widened ever so slightly before he turned and opened the door.

"Goodnight L/N. I'll see you in a few days?" He asked as he walked out a bit.

"Yeah. I'll see you on Wednesday to bake banana bread." You laughed. "Goodnight Akechi." You waved at him, receiving a little wave back before he turned and walked off.

You sighed as you closed the door and leaned against it. Now that he was gone, exhaustion was hitting you like a truck. You were glad that you didn't have school tomorrow. You needed some time to relax before you talked to him again. You found that you were getting more and more tired every time you hung out with him. You weren't sure if it was because you were beginning to enjoy hanging out with him more, or if it was because of something else.

Once you pulled yourself together, you walked to your room and grabbed your pjs, smiling like an idiot when you looked at the cat plush sitting on your pillow, waiting for you to crawl into bed. After you took a long, mildly scalding shower, you made yourself an actual dinner, knowing that you should put something in your stomach other than chocolate cake before you go to bed. Your dinner consisted of fried rice with plenty of eggs, as well as some miso soup with tofu and green onions. 

As you ate, you felt kind of bad for not offering Akechi an actual meal, but you knew that he would survive. If he tried, you knew that he could cook a meal of his own.

When you were done, you placed your dishes into the sink, not bothering to wash them. You'd wash them tomorrow at some point. Finally, you got into bed and pulled the stuffed animal against your chest, cradling it. It's been years since you've slept with a plushie. As your consciousness was slipping away, you noticed that the plush smelled slightly like Akechi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While doing some research for this chapter, I learned that Japan doesn't really use checks, so we're just going to pretend like they do for this one moment lmfao.
> 
> Hoooo boy. It's beginning y'all! Hopefully pankechi wasn't ooc in this chapter. A lot happened hhhhhh
> 
> I write Goro so tragically lmfao. He's easily overwhelmed by affection, he doesn't want to mess up in front of reader, he has no idea how to be a good friend (he's learning tho), it's hard for him to open up and talk about his past, he rarely eats homemade meals, he's jealous that reader has more friends than him and she's on a first name basis with almost all of them. Oops ;;
> 
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	18. Bonding and Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get to spend most of the day with Mako-chan.
> 
> B a n a n a B r e a d. Akechi is still working on his confidence when it comes to cooking, but it's okay. You're patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I talk about Leblanc and curry, I accidentally type chili instead. Like?? They aren't the same ;;
> 
> While looking for information for this chapter, I fell down the rabbit hole of P5 trivia and learned a ton of things about Akechi. I didn't realize that him not being able to cook was canon lmaooo ;; His trivia has me sobbing and has given me ideas for future chapters ;;
> 
> Also! I want to start uploading this book to wattpad and quotev. Both of those sites require cover art for your book, sooooo, if any of you artists out there are open for commissions, let me know! I would like to get some original art of our boy Goro for the cover <3 You can either dm me on discord at Sami (Artemis)#9302, or, dm me on tumblr, [Tumblr.](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mage-ellie) Please include your prices and examples! <3 Don't feel discouraged if I don't pick you for the cover art. I may come back for some chapter art or just fanart in general in the future :D

**May 3rd. Tuesday. Morning.**

A soft hum made its way through your throat as you stretched the sleep from your muscles. Today was Constitution Memorial Day, meaning you had the day off from school. Not only that, but tomorrow was Greenery Day , and the day after that was Children's Day. You wouldn't be going back to school until Friday, which delighted you to no end. This gave you the chance to spend some quality time with Makoto.

Before you got out of bed, you checked your phone to find a text from your group chat with Kaylee, Callie, and Brook.

**Confused Bitches**

**9:04 A.M.**

**Brook:** Kaylee still hasn't responded to my messages. Did she respond to either of you?

No not yet. My phone is telling me that my message hasn't sent, even though I had pretty good reception yesterday. **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** Hmmm. Callie? Anything?

 **Callie:** I'm sure she's fine. 

Is that a no? **:Y/N**

 **Callie:** Obviously.

 **Brook:** Well. I'm going to go check her dorm room to see if she's there. 

Alright. Let us know if you find her or any trace of her! **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** Will do.

You sighed as you stared at your phone. You had no idea where Kaylee could be. _She must've ditched, right? Maybe she's on a romantic getaway with a boy. Or maybe she's been kidnapped._ Your mind immediately came up with wild scenarios, and none of them were helping you calm down.

After you finally got out of bed, you shuffled to your bathroom and prepared to start the day. Once you got out, you walked to your kitchen and began working on your breakfast. While you waited for your miso soup and rice to cook, you texted Makoto, asking what she was up to today. She responded in only a few minutes, saying that she would be studying for exams all day and asked if you would be interested in joining her, to which you said yes. You haven't had much time to study recently, so you definitely weren't about to pass up this chance.

Makoto told you to meet her at the library in Shibuya in about an hour. The library she wanted to meet at was about a 30 minute walk from your apartment. You figured you'd catch a taxi to get there faster. Walking for that long wasn't something you were interested in doing.

When you finished, you went back to your room and got dressed, then got your school bag ready. When leaving school yesterday, you kept your math book, history book, and Japanese language book because of the homework you were given. All of your teachers had given you a ton of homework since you would be on break. Apparently, they thought you didn't have a life, which was only a little true.

Finally, you were walking out of your apartment and towards a busy street to catch a taxi. You were a little nervous to wave down a taxi, but thankfully, the first taxi you hailed stopped for you. During your ride to the library, you took out your notebook and put together a list of the things you needed to work on. The first thing you wanted to work on was memorizing important dates in Japans history. You also wanted to look over the most recent calculus formula you had been taught. Lastly, the Japanese language, you wanted to study all of it.

As the taxi pulled up to the library, you paid the driver and got out, glancing around for any sign of Makoto. You were a little early, but Makoto was always on top of things, so you figured she would probably already be here. You sent her a text, letting her know that you were here and heading inside. As you thought, she responded right away, telling you that she was sitting on the second floor at the back where all of the tables were. 

It didn't take you long to find Makoto. She was wearing a white blouse with black cropped leggings. Her eyes were focused on a piece of paper she had in front of her. She looked up at you when you set your stuff down across from her.

"Good morning." She said, sitting up a bit to give you her attention.

"Good morning Mako-chan. What are you working on?" You smiled at her as you sat down.

"English." She sighed as she looked back down at her work.

"Do you need any help?" You asked, giggling a bit. English was an overly complicated language.

"Yes please." She groaned, hanging her head. You could hear the annoyance in her voice. You wondered how long she had been working on this.

Before you got any of your work out, you did your best to explain to her what she needed help on. The intelligent Makoto quickly caught on and figured out what she was doing wrong, swiftly correcting her mistakes. 

Once she didn't need any help, you got out your work and immediately started by making flashcards of all of the important dates. They would come in handy when you had some free time and wanted to do a quick study session. You also made flash cards of important math formulas, since your teacher believed that you would need to know advanced calculus formulas for your everyday life.

Both you and Makoto worked on math and history together, being in the same grade, you were learning the same things. As noon was rolling around, Makoto helped you with your Japanese language work. You may be fluent, but there were a lot of things you still needed to work on. 

**Afternoon**

You stood from your chair to stretch your legs after finishing the rest of the homework you had. Coming here to the library with Makoto had been a great use of your time. A part of you thought that you and Makoto would gossip more than you did, but you managed to finish the hefty amount of work you had been given in only a few hours, which delighted you to no end. Now, you had more time to study, and relax. It felt good to not procrastinate and get your work done early.

"Well. I think that's enough for one day. We don't want to fry our brains." Makoto said as she stood and stretched out her arms, shoulders and elbows popping in the process.

"I agree. How about we celebrate having finished our work by going somewhere and getting lunch?" You suggested, hope coloring your voice.

"Sure. Any where specific you'd like to go?" She asked as she began putting her stuff back into her bag.

"Hmm. On the drive over here, I noticed a little deli at the corner. They looked like they had some tasty sandwiches. Or we could take a cab to Leblanc. Can't go wrong with curry." You hummed thoughtfully, tapping your chin.

"Both are good options. I'm fine with either." She responded, zipping her school bag closed.

Being the indecisive person that you were, you pulled out a coin. "Heads, we go to the deli. Tails, we go to Leblanc." You said before flipping it, watching as it bounced around on the table for a moment before landing on tails.

"Leblanc it is." Makoto giggled as she picked up her stuff, then began walking towards the exit. You quickly shoved the coin into your pocket and grabbed your stuff, scuttling behind her.

As you exited the library, Makoto hailed a taxi. When the car pulled up, she climbed in first and gave the driver the address. After a bit of negotiation, you both agreed to each pay for half of the cab fair. You were both too nice to let the other person pay the full fee.

As the driver pulled up to Leblanc, you handed the woman behind the wheel her payment, and got out. It took a while to get to Leblanc, so you were starving.

"Was that your stomach?" Makoto chuckled as you began walking towards the café. You groaned and hunched your back, lowering your head in humiliation.

"Using my brain for that long made me hungry." You mumbled, wrapping an arm around your stomach to stop it from growling again.

The sound of something scraping against the ground caught your attention, making you raise your head. You made eye contact with the mighty leader of the Phantom Thieves, who was wearing his green apron and sweeping around the front entrance.

"Hey Ren-Ren!" You chirped, smiling up at him as you got closer.

"Ren-Ren?" Makoto said under her breath, sounding surprised that you were so close to the 'delinquent transfer student.'

"Good afternoon." He hummed, nodding to you both as he held the door open for you. Makoto nodded her head back at him and entered silently.

"Thanks." You responded, earning a soft, close eyed smile in return.

The bell above the door caused Sojiro to turn and look at you both from his usual spot behind the counter.

"Welcome back." He said, smiling at you both with a proud gleam in his eyes. He really had made two new regular customers. He rounded the bar and walked over to the booth you had chosen. "The usual?" Sojiro asked you, to which you smiled and nodded vigorously. "And for you?" He asked Makoto.

"Mild veggie curry with a cappuccino please." She responded. He nodded at her and made his way back around the counter. The sound of the bell chiming made you turn your head, watching as Ren reentered the café with Morgana following behind him.

The moment Morgana made eye contact with you, he yowled. "Princess!" He cried as he sprinted towards you, even though he was supposed to be hiding in the attic. You grunted softly as Morgana flew onto your lap.

"Awww hello Morgana-chan. I missed you." You cooed, squishing his face in between your hands. Even though you were treating him like a cat, he was purring up a storm, happy to receive your affection. You could hear Sojiro grumble at Ren to take the cat upstairs, and the customers in the booth behind you that were laughing at the enthusiastic kitty.

"Sorry about that." Ren chuckled as he approached you and Makoto.

"It's okay." You responded, giving Morgana a tight hug, causing him to squeak before you let go and passed him to Ren, who took him upstairs so that he wouldn't get in trouble with Sojiro.

"That cat really likes you." Makoto laughed, watching as you tried to remove the cat hair from your outfit, only to give up after a minute.

"Yeah he does. He ran away from Ren once and traveled all the way to my apartment before." You giggled, covering your mouth with your hand.

"I didn't realize how close you were with Amamiya-kun." Makoto pried, leaning forwards on the table. Her intense gaze made you nervous. You and Ren were just friends, but you felt like you needed to be careful about what you say. You didn't want to accidentally mess something up again. You already made a mess by telling Akechi about Kamoshida.

"Mhm. We met at the station on the first day of school. Although, we didn't learn each others names until the day after." You explained, trying not to go into too much detail. You couldn't have her thinking you were a Phantom Thief when she eventually starts investigating them.

"That's good. I'm glad you're making friends." She smiled at you, causing you to breathe a slight sigh of relief. You couldn't remember when Kobayakawa would make Makoto start investigating the Thieves. "Oh, by the way," she began, "when's your birthday? I've tried searching for your name on google, but I can't seem to find you. I don't want to miss it." She asked, completely changing the subject. Your eyes widened and you panicked a bit. _Has Akechi tried googling my name? Only to find nothing? That's not suspicious, right? There are a ton of people named Y/N L/N, so it would be difficult to specifically find me._

"June 20th." You responded, earning a bright smile in return as she took out her phone and logged it in her calendar. You glanced up at the stairs, watching as Ren made his way back down. He walked over to Sojiro and grabbed the plates with your food on them. 

He delicately placed your meals in front of you, while Sojiro set down your coffees. Your stomach growled at the mouth watering sight before you. Ren chuckled before he walked back behind the counter. You just glared at the back of his head, watching as he shivered slightly from the intensity of your gaze.

You both ate in silence, needing to refill your bodies with nutrients after spending the morning shoving information into your brains. Every time you ate Leblanc's curry, you felt like it was better than the last time you had it. If you weren't careful, you'd definitely get addicted to the stuff. You wondered if Sojiro would teach you his recipe.

You scraped every last bit of rice and curry onto your spoon, mildly upset that you had eaten it so quickly. Before you could complain, another plate was set in front of you. You snapped your head to the side to look at the cocky frizzy haired boy, who was giving you a knowing smirk. He took your finished plate from you and walked back to the sink. _I love you Ren._ He knew you so well. Ryuji would be proud.

Makoto just laughed as she watched you eat your second serving. You knew that you'd have to work off this extra meal some how. _Maybe it's time I start going through Shinji's palace. I could probably get to the first or second saferoom on my own, right?_ You just needed to be careful, and slow. You didn't want to make yourself sick by immediately getting into movement heavy battles.

Once you finished, you sighed and slouched in the booth seat, patting your full belly. 

"Delicious as always." Makoto complimented as Sojiro walked over and took your dirty plates.

"My compliments to the chef." You giggled. Sojiro gave an awkward chuckle and nodded at you both in thanks.

You and Makoto chatted a bit longer and sipped on your coffees before you eventually got up to leave because she had some chores to finish.

"See you next time." Sojiro said to you as you paid your tabs, smiling at you both, knowing that you were officially hooked on his curry. 

"Until next time." Makoto chuckled and turned, heading towards the door.

"See you later. Goodbye Ren." You chirped. "Goodbye Morgana." You said a bit louder, earning a faint mew in response, then waved before following her out.

Once you arrived at Shibuya station, you said your goodbyes to Makoto and watched her head down to her train platform before you went back to your apartment. You needed to get your supplies before you could head into the Metaverse. 

As you swapped your school textbooks for medicine, water, and snacks, you noticed just how low you were on medication. You only had two Recov-R: 50mg left. You were a little surprised that it's taken you so long to go through all of them. Since you most likely wouldn't go to Akechi's until after noon tomorrow, you figured you'd stop by Takemi's clinic in order to buy more.

**Evening**

Your boots softly clicked against the metal flooring of Shinji's palace. Today, it had the undeniable scent of blood and rot. _Is it because he visited the fox farm the other day?_ You scrunched up your nose in disgust.

Before you could wonder any more about the state of the palace, a shadow appeared beside you and slammed its body into you, forcing the breath from your lungs.

"Fuck." You wheezed as you skidded across the floor, barely able to stay on your two feet. You couldn't remember the name of the beast in front of you. You're pretty sure its name started with "N." The shadow looked like a chimera. It had a snake for a tail, tiger stripes, a white lions mane, and the body of a gorilla. _Isn't this guy a mini boss?!_

"Bwahaha. Puny human weak. I will destroy little puppy." It said before casting Maeiha, a curse skill. Despite its massive size, it moved quickly, easily hitting you with the skill and knocking you off your feet. You were definitely still underleveled. If you wanted any chance of clearing this palace, you would either have to grind, or find some help.

You grunted as you landed on your back from the force of the attack. You haven't even been in the palace for 15 minutes and you were already struggling. Doing your best to ignore the pain, you rolled out of the way from the oncoming body slam of the massive chimera. That definitely would've killed you. You couldn't help but wonder what would happen if you died in the Metaverse. _Would I be given a do over? Or would I just be dead?_

You shakily pushed yourself onto your feet and summoned Artemis, commanding her to use Kouha. You did a little fist pump when your attack connected to your target, watching as it took a few steps back. It shook its head and prepared to cast another Maeiha. 

You weren't sure how long you had spent fighting it. Your lungs were screaming and, even though you didn't have a health bar, you were pretty sure you had low HP. Your body was covered in gashes and bruises. The chimera wasn't giving you any time to heal. It just kept throwing attack after attack at you. It was breathing heavily, but you could tell that you were outmatched. Your attack stat was high, but its defense was higher. All you could do was pray and hope that it gave you an opening to heal.

By a stroke of dumb luck, the chimera shadow slipped on some blood and tumbled to the floor, giving you enough time to shove a pill down your throat and heal yourself. The immediate healing effects made you sigh softly through your nose. Now that you were healed, you were sure that you'd be able to take out the beast on your own.

Your needle scraped against the ground as you sprinted towards the shadow, ready to impale it and end the fight. Its head snapped up to look at you, however, it wasn't fast enough to move out of the way. You lifted your weapon and jammed it right through the shadows forehead. It groaned, black gunk oozing from the wound, then fell limp to the ground and disappeared in a burst of shadowy darkness.

"Yes!" You cheered, giving yourself a mental pat on the back before your legs gave out and you fell to your knees. You were absolutely exhausted, but you wanted to get to at least the first saferoom. You figured it couldn't be that far from where you were. 

After you managed to get yourself back onto your feet, you began wandering around, making sure to be extra careful. You didn't want to get into another altercation where you were caught off guard. While you were searching for the saferoom, you wondered how Akechi was able to take on palaces alone. You knew that he was crazy strong, but there were bound to be shadows and palace rulers that were stronger than him. _Is he just better at sneaking than I am?_ He was also a faster thinker than you were.

You wished you had Ren's third eye ability, then you'd be able to learn the stats an item had. You wanted to get better equipment, but you had no idea how. _I could just reveal myself to Ren and ask him to find me better stuff._ As great as that would be, you knew you couldn't. You aren't supposed to be in this world, they weren't supposed to know you, you weren't supposed to be friends with them like you were.

You slowed down as you neared a corner, feeling defeated. Your problematic overthinking was getting the better of you. During the rest of your short trek to the saferoom, you tried to keep those thoughts out of your head. You couldn't get distracted now.

You almost cried when you found the saferoom. It was much further in than you thought it would be. You ripped the door open and walked in, then laid face down on the table that sat in the middle of the room. _Depending on what time Akechi asks me to come over, I might go grind in Mementos. Or maybe I'll head into Madarame's palace. The shadows won't be as strong there, and the Thieves won't be in there yet. I'd only have to watch out for Akechi._

Sighing, you lifted yourself off of the table and pulled out your phone, teleporting yourself to the entrance so that you could leave. As you entered the real world, you quickly slipped into the crowd of people walking by, hoping that no one saw you materialize out of thin air.

As you climbed the stairs to your apartment complex, you received a text from Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**7:15 P.M.**

**Akechi:** Good evening! What time would you like to come over to bake the bread?

Maybe some time after noon? I have some chores I'd like to get out of the way first. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Sounds good! I'm looking forward to tasting the results!

Hopefully it'll turn out okay lol. You'll have to do all of the tasting. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I am completely okay with that. Let me know when you finish running your errands tomorrow. Goodnight! I'll see you then.

Alright. Goodnight Akechi! **:Y/N**

You shoved your key into your front door lock and turned it, letting yourself in. You dropped your bag and took off your shoes by your front door, not bothering to make them look nice. Looking in your fridge, you considered whether you should also take ingredients to make Akechi lunch when you go over. You wondered if you could convince him to cook something simple for you. Although, you doubted that he had any real food at his apartment.

After making yourself a quick salad made with lettuce, chicken, celery, and carrots, you went about your nightly routine, then sat yourself on your couch, waiting for your hair to dry after your shower. You flipped through the TV channels while munching on some chips.

A strange feeling pricked at your skin as you stopped on a news channel. A picture of a derailed subway was on the screen and the newscaster was talking about it.

"Only a few days ago, the driver of this subway had a psychotic breakdown and derailed the train. As of now, there have been 11 deaths from this accident. Originally, 8 passed away during, or directly after the accident, but since then, 3 more have passed..."

The rest of his speech was drowned out by a loud ringing sound in your ears. _Is Akechi numb to these kinds of things? Am I really going to be spending time alone with him in his apartment tomorrow? Is he okay?_ You wished you could tell him what was going to happen if he kept going down this path, but you weren't sure if that would even help, if he even believed you in the first place. Shido would most likely send someone to kill him or have him arrested. _Is it already to late too save him? Should I try to save him?_

After spending who knows how long overthinking about Akechi and what he's been doing, you turned off the TV and lugged yourself to bed. Your eyes landed on the cat plushie sitting on your bed. You couldn't help but smile a bit. He really had gone out of his way to get it for you. He was trying when it came to your friendship, so you believed that there was still hope in possibly saving him from his inevitable end.

Laying down, you pulled the stuffed animal to your chest, taking a deep breath. It still smelled faintly like him. You weren't sure why his scent was so comforting, but it immediately made your consciousness sway. Before you knew it, you had been lulled to sleep.

**May 4th. Wednesday. Morning.**

You woke up a little later than usual today. It was about 10 A.M. when you got out of bed in order to start your day. As you reached your bathroom, your phone vibrated from a text from Brook, saying that there was still no sign of Kaylee. Callie immediately dismissed yours and Brooks worry, saying that she's fine and that she'll show up eventually. You gave up on trying to deal with her. You just messaged Brook privately and told her that you'd bring Kaylee's disappearance up with Akechi again at some point and see if he had anything to say about it.

After eating a breakfast that consisted of toast with jam and fruit, you threw on an outfit you had bought while out with Ann a few weeks ago and prepared to head to Takemi's clinic. You praised yourself for training and getting some extra cash. With the amount you got, you could fully restock your medicine supply. You mentally gave yourself a pat on the back as you grabbed your key and wallet, then walked out of your apartment. 

As you got on the subway, you silently prayed that you wouldn't run into Ren on your way to the clinic. As great as it would be to see your friend two days in a row, you weren't sure if your excuse of having a chaotically stressful life would be believable, considering he seemed to suspect that you might be the Black Wolf. _Is it because of my appearance? We didn't get very close while in Kamoshida's palace, but I would've probably been at least somewhat familiar looking._ A soft groan escaped your lips as the train car came to a stop at your destination and you hopped off, getting swept away by the crowd of people.

You sighed as you entered Takemi's clinic without running into the troublesome boy. Although, when you approached the spot where Takemi usually was, you noticed that she wasn't there. A muffled voice was speaking on the other side of the examination room door. It sounded like an older woman, so you just took a seat in the waiting room and pulled out your phone, going through the social media apps you had neglected this morning. You had started following some influencers, meme accounts, and artists. You actually managed to find Yusuke on Twitter. He had quite the following, which didn't surprise you. What did surprise you, was the fact that he used emoji's when captioning his posts. While scrolling, you came across a video that made you laugh through your nose.

Your heart ached as you instinctively went to send the video to one of your friends, only to remember that you had been ripped from your world and thrown into the persona universe. Instead, you saved the link to the video and sent it to Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**11:25 A.M.**

**<https://twitter.com/Reza_Zadeh/status/1344009123004747778> :Y/N**

**11:32 A.M.**

**Akechi:** How interesting! Why did you send this to me though?

You immediately regretted your decision to send Akechi out of all people a video of robots dancing. You should've sent it to Ryuji or Ren, they would understand why it was so funny.

It's a meme. I thought it was funny. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** A meme? My apologies, I'm not as up to date on things our generation enjoys.

Nvm. I'll send it to someone else. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** No no. Explain it to me. I'd like to understand why you enjoyed it.

It's funny because of the prediction that robots will turn against humans and take over the world. The robots in the video are going to dance their way to world domination. Get it? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Oh! Haha! Yes! That's a good one! Thank you for sending it to me.

You're welcome lol. I'll be done running errands in half an hour maybe. Have you eaten lunch yet? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Not yet. Why? Are you going to cook? :)

I could. Or I could pick us up something for lunch. I'm in Yongen-Jaya right now. There's a tasty curry place nearby. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** No thanks. I'll have a plate of whatever you're cooking please.

Haha alright. Anything specific you'd like? : **Y/N**

 **Akechi:** No. Anything is good with me!

Okay. I'll come up with something. I'll let you know once I'm on my way over. : **Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Sounds good! I'll see you soon!

Right as you received Akechi's last message, the door to the examination room opened and an older woman walked out with a smile on her face, thanking Takemi. You and the doctor locked eyes shortly after the woman left and she gestured for you to enter the room with her.

"Good afternoon L/N. Here for a refill so soon?" She asked as she sat down in a chair and crossed her legs. 

"Yes." You awkwardly shifted in your seat. "Turns out the 50mg isn't strong enough, so I had to take them more often." You sighed, not entirely lying. The 50mg wasn't healing you enough any more.

"Understandable. Your body is most likely used to American medication. The medicine here in Japan is weaker than what you're used to. I can up the dose to 100mg, but that's the max I'm legally allowed to sell you." She said, writing down the prescription for you, then getting you a bottle of a dozen Recov-R: 100mg.

It was expensive as hell, but worth it. You'd be able to heal yourself to nearly full now. Since that was the only thing you needed, you thanked Takemi and left her clinic. Now all you needed to do was go home and figure out what you were going to cook for Akechi.

**Lunch**

Before you could open your refrigerator door, a soft knock came from your front door. You meandered over and opened it, only to find the one and only Goro Akechi standing there with a bright smile. You scrunched up your eyebrows a bit and moved out of the way so that he could enter.

"Aren't we cooking at your apartment?" You asked as you closed the door behind him.

"Yes we are. However, I figured you'd need some help carrying the ingredients. Especially since you'll also be bringing stuff for lunch. Unless you planned to make that here." He said, giving you a wide eyed, innocent look.

"Oh. Well alright." You smiled at him. "I was planning on taking the ingredients to your apartment and force you to cook with me." You giggled before you walked back over to your fridge to figure out what you wanted to make.

"O-oh." He responded, making you laugh a bit harder.

"Chicken breast or pork chops?" You asked, not looking at him.

"Hmm. Pork chops." He hummed, walking up behind you to look in your fridge with you. You did your best to keep yourself from shivering as you felt him come up behind you. You were sure that he didn't realize how close he was standing to you. You could practically feel his body heat.

Without bending over, you opened the vegetable drawer with your toes. "Anything catch your eyes?" You asked, doing your best to keep your composure as he got closer in order to get a better look, even though he towered over you in height. 

"Is that a zucchini?" He asked, pointing at the long green vegetable at the top.

"Mhm. Is that what you want?" You asked back as you squatted down to grab it, trying not to bump your backside into him.

"Yes." He said, sounding pleased with his choice. As you stood back up, you felt your bottom brush against his leg. You could hear him suck in a quick breath and take a small step back. _Oops._

"Any other side dishes you'd like?" You questioned as you set the pork and zucchini on the counter top, looking for a bag to put them in. "Also, what kind of spices to you have at your home?"

"Maybe some kind of pasta? Macaroni and cheese?" He said, sounding a bit distant. You glanced back at him to find that he was standing by your kitchen table. "And I don't really have anything..." He trailed off, looking kind of embarrassed. You sighed through your nose and looked for things you could use to make a recipe. You ended up grabbing your bottle of dried basil, brown sugar, chili powder and canola oil.

"You have salt, right?" You asked, glancing back at him again. He nodded in response. "You know." You began, earning that charming head tilt of his. "My one wish before I inevitably leave Japan is to have a meal cooked by you, Goro Akechi." You pointed at him, watching him pale and open his mouth.

"A-as much as I'd love to fulfill that wish of yours, I don't think that'll be something I can do." He responded, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "I could take you to an expensive, fancy restaurant. Or bring you with me to an interview and you can join me on stage. Or how about an autograph instead?" He tried to joke, making it clear that he absolutely did not want to cook for you. _He'd rather expose our friendship than cook for me?_

"Are you really that worried? It's not like I would make you cook without measuring stuff. You don't have to cook like I do." You said, sounding more than just a little disappointed. You watched his adams apple bob up and down before you turned back around and packed up what you needed. "Here." You said as you picked up the bags, handing the heaviest one to him.

You glanced around your apartment one last time before you both left. Of course, you didn't forget your favorite apron. You didn't start wearing an apron while cooking until Akechi bought you one. Now, you find yourself unable to cook without it.

"May I ask what you were up to today?" He asked, trying to make conversation as you began walking to his apartment.

"Oh you know. I just had to deliver some drugs to a client. Also held a cult meeting in one of the larger alleyways. The usual. Did you do anything interesting?" You joked, smirking up at him, watching a whirlwind of emotions cross his face before it settled on a slight smirk.

"Why, yes I did." He began, tone a little darker than usual. "I spent my morning causing psychotic breakdowns." He joked, nearly making you choke on your saliva. _Is he joking about his trauma or admitting to his crimes?_

"Oh. So you cause the breakdowns, then pretend to solve them? Wow. I never would've seen that coming." You responded sarcastically, hoping he thought you were just joking back.

"Now that you know my secret, I'll have to kill you." He said, smirk widening a bit. You couldn't tell if the look in his eyes was playful or turmoil.

"You wouldn't kill me." You said with confidence as you looked away from him and back at the sidewalk in front of you.

"What makes you think you're so special?" He chuckled in response, going back to his regular tone.

"First of all my dear knight, I cook for you. You don't want to lose your personal chef. You said it yourself, you rarely ever get to eat homemade meals. Second, you're too nice. And third, you wouldn't harm your best friend." You responded with a firm nod, glancing at him from the corner of your eye.

"Alright. You got me." He laughed, squinting his eyes a bit as he did, stopping the confusing conversation there.

You spent the rest of the walk talking about what you both actually did this morning. He seemed a little concerned when you mentioned needing medication for the 'headaches' you would get and asked if you wanted him to make you an appointment with his personal doctor. You declined and told him they were stress headaches. He didn't look convinced, but he dropped the subject in favor of telling you what he did with his morning, which was sit around his apartment and fill out some paperwork he had to do.

You were once again awestricken as you looked up at the massive apartment complex he lived at. As you entered the lobby, you noticed a man wearing a black tuxedo standing behind the visitors counter. He bowed to both of you as you went through the doors that led to the pool area. Your eyes immediately snapped to the wealthy looking couple relaxing in the hot tub.

"Jealous?" Akechi chuckled as he followed your gaze.

"No. Why would I be?" You pouted, very much jealous.

"Maybe if you do something to convince me, I'll invite you over during the summer and let you go swimming for a bit." He teased. You snapped your head to the side to look at him, eyes bright with hope.

"I'd literally do anything." You responded immediately. His eyes widened and he looked shocked for a moment before covering his mouth with his hand as he laughed.

"You sound a little too eager." He said, lowering his hand.

"I'm not sorry." You said, a smile crawling onto your cheeks, knowing full well that you wouldn't actually do 'anything' he asked. You'd draw the line at murder.

"We'll see." He hummed as you reached the elevator. Once you entered, he pressed the button and you were off to his apartment.

He held the door open for you as you walked in. You looked around, noticing that nothing had really changed. It still had that cold, unlived in feel to it. Although, you did notice that his apron was hanging on the coat rack by the door. You could feel your heart swell at the sight.

"What do we do first?" He asked as you set down the bag you were carrying on his kitchen counter.

"First, we're going to stick the bananas in the oven until their peels are brown because I forgot to do that this morning." You responded, fishing around for the bananas in the bag. Akechi got out a baking sheet and some parchment paper, surprising you. You didn't expect him to have parchment paper out of all things.

You placed the bananas on their side, then walked up to his oven and turned it on to 300°f. While you waited for the oven to heat up, you got out the ingredients you'd need to make lunch.

"Are you going to cook lunch while the bananas ripen?" He questioned, watching what you were doing, making you turn and look at him. 

"Yes. Are you not going to help?" You asked him, feeling conflicted when his face dropped. "You don't have to if you don't want to." You hummed, hoping you didn't sound disappointed again. You didn't want to make him feel bad. You knew you couldn't actually force him to cook with you.

You organized the ingredients, then looked for some pans to use to cook your lunch. Thankfully, Akechi's kitchen had four burners, meaning you could make all of the dishes at once. You turned on one of the burners and prepared to begin. As it was heating up, you slipped on your apron and tied the strings behind you so that you wouldn't get your outfit dirty. 

"What would you like me to do?" Akechi asked, coming to stand beside you, seeming like he was unable to look at you. He was wearing his apron and had his sleeves rolled up. A smile twitched at your lips as you gazed at him. 

"Wash and slice the zucchini into thin pieces." You said, watching as he walked up to his sink and began cleaning the vegetable. While he was doing that, you worked on making the rub for the pork chops you were going to make. You added brown sugar, dried basil, salt, and a tiny bit of chili powder into a bowl, then you stirred in one tablespoon of oil, making the rub crumbly. 

"Does this look okay?" Akechi asked, referring to the zucchini slices. He held up a slice, showing that it was about a quarter of an inch thick.

"Perfect! Just like that!" You chirped, eyes shining with pride. He responded with a bright smile, closing his eyes before going back to cutting it. Once the rub was done, you walked over to his sink to wash your hands. You took the pork chops and covered both sides with the rub.

You washed your hands again to remove the rub, then walked over to the stove top and put your hand over the pan to see how hot it was.

"I'm done." Akechi said. You nodded at him and glanced at the pan next to the one you would be using to cook the pork chops, then you looked back at him. 

"Do you think you can cook them on your own? It's easy. It'll take about 10 minutes to cook." You said, gauging his reaction. He looked a little nervous, but he nodded nonetheless, making you smile. _He's trying._ "Add a little oil and the garlic." You instructed, then focused on the pork chops.

"W-what do I do next?" Akechi stuttered, looking at you for guidance. 

"Once the garlic is fragrant, add the zucchini and oregano and give it a little stir." You said as you added oil to your skillet and placed the pork chops on it. Once Akechi added the zucchini, you looked up at him. "You wanna help me with the pasta?" You asked him, giving him an innocent smile. He nodded and grabbed the pot, then filled it with water and began heating it to a boil. "Thank you." You hummed.

As your food cooked, you gave Akechi instructions occasionally so that he wasn't completely lost. Once everything was ready, you removed the bananas from the oven, taking note of their completely brown peels, and left them to cool while you ate. 

Like usual, you served Akechi his plate, unable to stop yourself from smiling as his eyes lit up at the plate you placed in front of him. When you sat back down, Akechi began eating, humming softly as he chewed the homemade mac and cheese.

"Creamy. The pasta is a nice al dente." He began before he cut a piece of the pork chop and ate it. "Mmm. You understand my tolerance of heat well. It's a bit sweet and the sugar has formed a nice crust." He said, once he swallowed, then he took a bite of the zucchini. "Tasty." Was all he said, making you raise an eyebrow.

"Just tasty?" You giggled. _He doesn't want to praise himself for cooking that?_ He dabbed his mouth with his napkin, not looking at you.

"Your recipe is spot on, but I could've done better." He said, making you roll your eyes. You put a slice of zucchini in your mouth, tasting nothing wrong with it.

"I think you did great. It's tender and a little firm. Not mushy. You put the perfect amount of pepper and salt. And you finished it with a generous amount of parmesan cheese." You praised after you swallowed, then stuffed another in your mouth. You smiled as he bashfully smiled at his food, seeming to accept the compliment. 

After you were done eating, he took your empty plate and put it in the sink, saying that he'd wash it later. 

"So. How do we start?" Akechi asked, looking at the bananas on the baking tray.

"Let's mix the dry ingredients first." You said, stretching your arms out in front of yourself, ready for a nap. Akechi smiled softly at you, looking sleepy as well. You helped Akechi measure out the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. He mixed everything together, then looked over at you expectantly. "Next, we melt the butter in the microwave." You explained, handing him a stick of butter. He reached for a small bowl and placed the unwrapped butter in the bowl, then placed it in the microwave to heat it.

When it was done, Akechi removed it and waited for instructions from you. 

"Now, add the bananas into the bowl with the butter and mash them." You said, looking around for something he could use. You took a large fork and handed it to him, making him do all of the hard work. You lifted your hand and covered your mouth as you yawned, a soft squeak escaping your throat as you did so.

"Is it nap time?" Akechi cooed, talking to you like you were a child as he mashed the bananas. 

You gave him a half assed glare and pouted, crossing your arms and huffing. Akechi giggled as he turned his attention back to the banana mash.

"How does this look?" He asked, causing you to approach him. 

"It looks good. We can add the eggs and vanilla now." You said, handing him an egg. He delicately tapped it against the side of the bowl until the shell cracked, and he carefully pulled it apart. With no hesitation, you slammed the egg against the bowl and used one hand to open it, watching the contents fall into the bowl.

"Oh my..." Akechi breathed, giving you a look of surprise and disgust.

"Continue stirring my dear knight." You mumbled, then walked over to his couch and laid down, turning on the TV and making yourself comfortable.

"Don't fall asleep please. I don't know what to do next." He said, making you glance at him. 

"Once the egg is fully mixed in, add the dry ingredients and stir until it's smooth." You said, curling up and mindlessly staring at the TV. You were watching what seemed to be a cooking show. "Oh. Akechi." You mumbled, earning a hum of acknowledgement. "Preheat the oven to like 350, and spray the bread pan with the cooking spray that's in the bag I was carrying."

"Yes ma'am." He said. You could hear his oven beep as he pressed the buttons to turn it on. Then you heard him spray the cooking spray like you said to do. "Before you fall asleep, how does this look, and how long will it take to cook?" He asked, bringing the bowl over to you so you could look at it. 

"It needs to be stirred a little more, and, uh, like 50 minutes. Do you need me to stay while it cooks? Or can you handle taking it out of the oven on your own?" You asked, giving him a sleepy smirk. He rolled his eyes, making your smile a little brighter. _This is the second or third time he's rolled his eyes at me. Right?_

"You don't want to stay and taste it?" He questioned, sounding like he was back in the kitchen.

"I don't like banana bread." You responded, ready to fall asleep.

"You don't want to at least try how it comes out?" He asked, disappointment lacing his voice. You sat up and looked at him, taking in the disappointed look on his face. _Oh wait. He wants me to taste it because he made it. Doesn't he._ You sighed and laid back down, curling up.

"Wake me up when it's done." You said, trying not to smile.

"Alright!" He chirped, sounding a little relieved. Your eyes immediately began drifting closed, tired from doing a single, simple errand, and eating a great lunch with your friend. As your consciousness faded, you felt a light weight press against you, making you feel warm.

The scent of warm bananas and cinnamon woke you up, making your nose crinkle a bit. _Ugh bananas._ You stretched out your body, feeling and hearing your hip, back and knees pop due to sleeping curled up for an hour. A soft blanket had been laid on top of you. Your feet pressed against something warm and solid. You squinted your eyes open and glanced over at the warm and solid thing, noticing that Akechi was sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Your feet were currently pressed against his thigh.

"Sorry." You mumbled, moving your feet off of him. He chuckled in response, unclenching his thigh.

"For such a chaotic person, you sleep very peacefully." He said in jest, smiling at you.

"Excuse you. I'm only chaotic when cooking." You quipped, sitting up and running your fingers through your hair.

"Says the one who jokes about committing crimes to a detective." He responded, smile slowly turning into a smirk.

"Says the detective who joked about committing murders." You teased, watching his smile falter slightly before returning to normal. _Ah. Oops._

"Alright. You've got me. We're both equally chaotic." He said. _That's debatable._ The sound of Akechi's phone alarm made you jump in fright. Akechi quickly covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to stifle his laugh. You dramatically threw your head back and rolled your eyes, then stood up and stretched one more time before walking back to the kitchen to remove the banana bread from the oven.

Akechi scampered over to you and watched as you removed the loaf from the baking pan.

"It's very hot, but I can cut you a piece now if you'd like." You said, earning a vigorous nod in return. You very carefully cut a slice for him, and a tiny slice for yourself. He grabbed some forks from his utensil drawer and you took both of the plates to the little table in between the living room and kitchen. Akechi handed you a fork and happily sat across from you. You stared at the bread nervously. You didn't hate bananas, but you also really didn't like them.

Akechi stared at you, waiting for your opinion. You exhaled heavily through your nose and put some on your fork, then blew on it softly to cool it off. Taking a deep breath, you closed your lips around the bread. The banana flavor made you cringe, but the light taste of cinnamon and the moistness of the bread made it tolerable.

"Ew bananas." You grumbled. Before Akechi could react, you continued speaking so he wouldn't think that you didn't like it because he made it. "However, the taste of the cinnamon is very nice. The bread didn't dry out. You mixed the batter perfectly. Without the banana, I would help myself to a larger serving." You complimented, hoping that was enough. You really believed that he did a great job. He practically made it on his own. He was getting more confident in the kitchen.

He gave you a bright smile, seeming to enjoy the positive affirmation, then he took a bite of his own.

"Mm! I quite like bananas. The light taste of the cinnamon adds a whole 'nother level of flavor. You're amazing at coming up with recipes." He praised, making you blush.

"I- Th- I'm glad it came out okay. I've never made banana bread before myself." You stuttered awkwardly, shifting side to side in your chair. He just hummed and continued eating. You took a couple more mouthfuls of the bread, then gave up on eating it. You tried for him.

While Akechi finished his piece, you glanced at your phone, noticing that you've been here for nearly 3 hours. It was almost 4 P.M. 

"Are you going to be leaving soon?" He asked. You figured he's had enough of your presence for one day.

"Yeah. Once you finish eating I'll head out." You said, giving him a tired smile. He nodded in response and went back to swallowing the bread whole. You wondered if it was even touching his tongue. 

He sat back after he put the final bite in his mouth, savoring the last of it. When he was done, he stood and took your dishes to the sink, and you walked over to the counter and packed up the leftover ingredients. Once you had everything, you walked to the entrance and slipped on your shoes, ready to leave.

"You don't want to take any with you?" He asked with a sarcastic tone, referring to the banana bread. You just sighed and shook your head, smiling. He opened the door for you as you walked closer to it. "Well. Thank you for today. Both lunch and dessert were delicious." Akechi chuckled, smiling down at you.

"Of course. I'm glad you liked them." You chirped. "Goodbye for now."

"Bye L/N." He responded before you turned and walked towards the elevator.

It was only 4 P.M., but you were ready to go to bed. You had a lot of fun with Akechi today. You hoped you'd get to see him again soon. _He's slowly starting to cook on his own. Maybe he will be able to fulfill my last wish after all._ You thought dramatically as you reached your apartment complex. 

You hummed as you entered your apartment and put your things away. After a few hours of watching cheesy sitcoms on TV, you made yourself dinner and got ready for bed. The sight of the cat plush on your bed made you smile once again. A warm, fluttering feeling made its way through you as you walked to your bed and laid down, bringing the plush close to you once again. You stopped sleeping with plushes when you were younger, but you couldn't stop yourself from wanting to hold the kitty stuffed animal while you slept.

It was comforting and calming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I couldn't decide if I wanted the girls to try something new, or go to leblanc, so I flipped a coin in real life lmao.
> 
> It took me a million years to decide on a birthdate for reader ahdkfjshd. I didn't want to wait too long because... smut... but at the same time, I didn't want it to be too soon because May was going to be a busy month.
> 
> Okay I know that meme was from this year, like recent, but I don't want to search for older memes aksdfkjdh
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, chatting, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	19. Modeling Techniques

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann invites you to spend the day with her. You had no idea what was in store for you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A 'short', one day chapter because I'd like the next two days to be in the same chapter :) 
> 
> So many text conversations hhhh. Hopefully they aren't confusing ;;

**May 5th. Thursday. Morning**

You woke up to the sound of your phone pinging from receiving multiple texts. You squinted your eyes open and glanced around the room, seeing the bright light from the morning sun illuminating everything. You reached for your phone, stretching your arms a bit as you did so. Looking at your screen, you noticed a few messages from Brook, and one from Ann.

**Brook Bonin**

**9:08 A.M.**

**Brook:** Good morning. I'm going to stop by the school today and see if any of the student athletes or club members have seen Kaylee at all. Someone is bound to know something. Also, if Callie messages you asking where I am, tell her you don't know. She's getting on my nerves more than usual today.

 **Brook:** Also, did Akechi say or hear anything about Kaylee?

Alright. That's a good idea. Hopefully someone has seen her. Are you going to be alright on your own? You're still learning Japanese aren't you?: **Y/N**

I forgot to ask him yesterday. I'll text him now and let you know what he says when he responds. I think he has to work today. **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** I'll be fine. You'd be surprised at the amount of people who can speak English at the school. Most can at least understand a little of what you're trying to say. And alright. 

After you messaged Brook, you opened up your chat with the famous detective.

**Goro Akechi**

**9:13 A.M.**

Good morning sir detective. Have you heard anything about Kaylee? Brook and I still haven't heard anything from her :( **:Y/N**

While you waited for Akechi to respond, you looked at your message from Ann.

**Ann Takamaki**

**9:15 A.M.**

**Ann:** Hey!! Are you busy?

No. What's up? **:Y/N**

 **Ann:** I've got a modeling gig later today. Wanna come with me?

Yeah sure! When and where do you want to meet up? : **Y/N**

 **Ann:** It's in Akihabara at the maid café! Meet me there at noon?

Alright! I'll see you then! **:Y/N**

 **Ann:** Oh! And don't forget to dress cute!! 

WAIT. AM I MODELING?! **:Y/N**

 **Ann:** Ehehe.

That doesn't answer my question?! **:Y/N**

You just stared at your phone, cheeks burning a bright pink. You've never modeled before. You didn't think you were exactly model material. _I thought I would just be supporting her?! Please tell me I'm wrong._

A groan bubbled at your throat as you slid out of bed and headed towards your bathroom. You had no idea what you would wear. Just thinking about possibly modeling made you nervous. _Is it too late to ask Brook if she needs any help?_

You made sure to eat a light breakfast, just in case you really would be modeling with Ann. You didn't want to look bloated. While you were eating your rice and miso soup, you received a response from Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**10:12 A.M.**

**Akechi:** Apologies for the late response! No, I haven't heard anything about her. Have you filed a missing persons report yet?

Not yet. Brook is currently asking the sports teams and club members at school if they've seen her. I'll suggest that to her if she doesn't get any information. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Let me know how it goes. I'll help out as much as I can.

Thank you Akechi. I really appreciate it :( **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Of course. What are friends for? :) Don't worry. We'll find her.

Yeah. I'm sure we will. I'll message you again when Brook is done. **:Y/N**

You wondered if hanging out with Ann today was such a good idea, considering one of your group members was missing. Although, you knew you couldn't do much other than ask around the school and file a missing persons report. Brook was already going to do the first one, and the second one would be done if she doesn't hear anything. Hanging out with Ann would probably be a nice distraction from the overwhelmingly terrible thoughts. Kaylee might've not been the nicest person in the world, but she deserves to be safe.

As the time neared 10:40 A.M., you went to your room to get ready. It would take around 40 minutes to get to Akihabara by subway, so you couldn't take too long to get dressed. You wished you had some kind of hair appliance. You felt like straightening your hair would really pull the whole look together. You were wearing a black, long sleeved, low cut romper, with a pair of black short heels. You put on simple, small gold hoop earrings that had a chain hanging off of them. Lastly, you pulled the hair on the sides of your head back and clipped them to the back of your head.

Glancing in the mirror, you applied some mascara and eyeliner, then sighed, starting to hope that you didn't get dressed up for nothing. _I don't think I would make a good model, but maybe a picture or two wouldn't hurt._

As the clock struck 11:20 A.M., you grabbed your purse and double checked that you had your phone, keys and wallet, then left the confines of your apartment.

**Lunch**

Your heels tapped softly against the tile of the station floor as you exited the subway at Akihabara. You could feel the disgusting stares of the male adults around you, practically undressing you with their eyes. A part of you wished Akechi was with you. He'd protect you from the unwanted attention, whether it was out of the kindness of his heart, or because he had to keep up his façade.

As you exited the station, you immediately noticed the vibrant, blonde haired model standing a little ways away from the entrance. She was wearing a cute white dress and a jean jacket, with tan wedges. Her dazzling blue eyes landed on you and you watched her cheeks turn pink as a bright smile crawled onto her cheeks.

"L/N-san!!" She squealed, waving as you approached her.

"Hey Takamaki-chan. You look really cute." You giggled, feeling a bit shy.

"Me?! Have you seen yourself?! You're literally the prettiest girl I've ever seen!" She chirped, her blush getting brighter as she clasped your hands in hers and held them up. You could feel a heat crash onto you. You were pretty sure that your entire body was glowing with a blush.

"T-Thank you." You stuttered, not expecting such a compliment.

"Come on! The café is this way." Ann said, pulling you along with her as she began walking to your photoshoot destination. You did your best to ignore the thirsty men around you, now staring you down because you, a pretty girl, were holding hands with another pretty girl. 

After a short walk, you ended up at the overly bright maid café. There were women, mostly high schoolers, wearing maid outfits all over the place. Most of them looked excited at the prospect of getting the chance to model for a magazine.

"Takamaki-chan. Perfect timing." A man said as you both approached him. "And who's your cute friend?" He asked, eyeing you up and down. You couldn't tell if he wanted to see what you looked like under your clothes, or if he was just seeing if you would make a good model.

"This is Y/N L/N! My senpai from Ichiryu Academy." Ann explained, dragging you forwards so you were standing a bit in front of her instead of behind her like you were originally doing.

"It's a pleasure to meet you L/N-san. Are you going to be modeling with Takamaki-chan today?" He questioned, holding up his camera.

"Yes she is!" Ann responded for you, making you groan internally. _Maybe this will be fun._

"Excellent! Please stand over here for us and we'll get started." He said, gesturing to a spot where they had a bunch of fancy lights set up. Ann kept your hand in hers as she began walking to the spot the camera man mentioned, dragging you along with her once again.

"Alright. Just relax! Pretend like we're at the beach taking cute pictures together." She said, attempting to help you calm down. 

_Yeah. Okay. Relax. It's just like we're taking photos for ourselves because we look cute. There totally won't be a ton of people seeing these pictures. Hahaha._ Your attempting at consoling yourself was going poorly. You did your best to suck it up and pose for the camera.

For the first picture, Ann wrapped an arm around your shoulders, and you hooked your arm around her waist, then you both gave the camera a bright, cheeky smile. For the next one, you and Ann stood back to back. She laced her fingers in between yours as they hung by your sides, and you both gave the camera a sly smile. 

After dozens of photos and poses, you were getting ready for the last shot. Ann got down on her knees and held a hand loosely over her mouth, smirking. You crouched behind her and wrapped one arm around her chest, and the other around her hips. You tilted your face towards Ann, but looked directly into the camera with a smirk of your own. 

"And we're done!" The camera man said before scrolling through the photos he'd taken.

"Yay!" Ann cheered as you both stood back up. You and Ann walked over to the camera man, looking at the photos with him. You couldn't deny that you liked what you saw. You and Ann made a good pair.

"Once we make some light edits and touch ups, we'll send them to you for approval, and you can send them to L/N-chan, then you can let us know what you think." The man said, smiling at you both.

"Sounds good." Ann responded. You just nodded at him, smiling back. "We should go get lunch." Ann said to you after the camera man walked away to talk to some of the other people there.

"Yes please. Do you have anywhere in mind?" You asked, getting excited at the idea of eating. You had only been at the maid café for about an hour, but you were already hungry again.

"There's a little udon place not far from here. What to give it a try?" She suggested, looking thoughtful.

"That sounds great!" You exclaimed, putting a hand over your rumbling tummy. Ann giggled as you both began to leave. 

She led you through the winding streets until you reached the small noodle restaurant. The bell above the door chimed, signaling your arrival as you walked in. A friendly looking older man approached you both with menus in his hands, then showed you to your table by a window.

After you both ordered your meals, you took some time to message Brook, wondering if she had found anything.

**Brook Bonin**

**1:30 P.M.**

Hey. Has anyone seen her? **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** Sadly, no. Did Akechi hear anything?

He hasn't. He said that we should file a missing persons report. **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** I was thinking the same thing. Callie has been bugging me all day, so we could head to the police station tomorrow after you get out of work? I can't go on my own. 

Yeah that'll work. I'll see you tomorrow. **:Y/N**

 **Brook:** Yeah. See you later.

Ann hummed, getting your attention. You glanced up at her to see that she was smirking at you and wiggling her eyebrows.

"Are you texting your boyfriend?" She cooed, leaning in close. You weren't going to fall for her teasing.

"Oh? I have a boyfriend? What's he like? Is he cute? What's his name? Have I met him yet?" You asked, playing dumb. Ann rolled her eyes and leaned her chin against her hands.

"That detective, dummy. Are you two really not a thing?" She questioned, clearly hoping that you were.

"I hate to inform you, but Akechi and I are only friends." You sighed dramatically. Ann responded with a dramatic gasp, playing along.

"That can't be! You two are so close!" She said, covering her mouth a bit in faux shock.

"But it's true. Honestly, I don't know if I'd be able to handle dating someone like him." You responded, putting a hand over your heart like you were wounded.

"You shouldn't let his fame get to you! Love who you want to love!" Ann cried, looking almost genuinely upset. _If only you knew._ His fame wasn't why you weren't sure if you'd be able to handle dating him.

The kind, older man from earlier brought your soups out on a tray and handed them to you. You could hear Ann's stomach growl from across the table as the man left. It took all of your self control not to laugh because you were pretty sure that your stomach would be growling any second now.

You immediately started eating to save yourself from the embarrassment of your stomach growling, only to burn the roof of your mouth.

"Ah hot." You hissed before blowing on some noodles, then slurping them up.

"You and Ryuji are so alike. Completely smooth brained." Ann sighed, looking at you with disappointment as you burned your mouth once again while attempting to drink the broth.

"For your information Takamaki, I'm at the top of my grade. Even Akechi can't compete with my smarts." You said, tapping your head with a finger.

"You can be book smart, but still be dumb in life. Would Akechi-san eat like you are?" Ann asked, giggling a bit. You stared at your food for a moment, realizing she was right.

"No." You pouted, hunching your shoulders a bit. "But I'm hungry so hush." You finished, giving her a playful look. She just shook her head and smiled before she finally started eating, having waited for her meal to cool off a bit.

The udon noodles were thick and held the flavor of the broth well. The broth itself was savory and rich. The beef slices were tender and had a slight peppery taste. To finish it off, there were two slices of swirled fish cake, which were soft and tasted lightly of fish. You wondered if Ryuji would like to try this place. This place was quiet and off the beaten path, so you also considered bringing Akechi here.

Once again, you regretted eating so quickly. You would definitely be coming back here in the future.

As you and Ann finished up, your waiter returned with two bowls of ice cream, thanking you both for livening up his little restaurant. Apparently, it had been a while since he's had any new customers. You couldn't help but pity him. You were already going to be coming back, but you'd definitely tell as many people about this place as you could. He was so sweet, and the food was delicious. You wondered if you could get Akechi to post about this place on his food blog. That would definitely bring in more customers. 

After you paid your bills and thanked the owner, you both headed back into the streets of Akihabara. You immediately felt the hungry stares of the older men around you. You subtly linked your arm with Ann's, who pulled you closer to her, also feeling grossed out by the guys around you.

**Afternoon**

"I don't know about you, but I could use a massage." Ann groaned, rolling her neck as you both stood on the subway to Shibuya.

"Want to hunt down a massage parlor? There's bound to be one in Shibuya. That place has everything." You chuckled, also feeling worn out. Ann hummed and scooped her phone out of her pocket, tapping her fingers against the screen.

"There's one that's about a 30 minute walk from the station. It's got some pretty nice reviews though." She said, looking up at you with a hopeful look in her eyes. You could tell that she really wanted to go, even though a 30 minute walk sounded horrible for you.

"Alright, but you're buying dessert after." You laughed, earning a bright smile in response.

The calming scent of lavender hit your nose as you entered the massage parlor with Ann. You were pleasantly surprised to find that they had a room available, but you would have to go in together, which neither of you minded.

A woman who was around your age led you both to your room and instructed you to undress, telling you that your masseuses would be in shortly. After stripping down to your undergarments, you and Ann laid on the chairs.

"I'm kind of nervous." You mumbled, staring at the ceiling.

"Is this your first time getting a professional massage?" She asked, turning her head towards you.

"Yeah." You chuckled awkwardly, covering your body more with the light, paper-like blanket they gave you to put over your body.

"It'll be great. Just relax." Ann encouraged, turning her head back towards the ceiling. _Just relax she says._ You sighed through your nose as two women dressed in light colored garments entered the room. 

One approached you and pulled out your arms from under the covering, lathering your skin with a sweet cucumber scented lotion. Afterwards, she began digging her fingers into your muscles, really getting at those knots. You almost groaned when she told you to roll over and started working on your back and shoulders. You didn't realize how tense and sore your body had been until now. Despite the pain of how hard the masseuse was pressing into your body, you knew that you were going to feel amazing when you woke up tomorrow morning.

When they were finished, they brought you both a small cup of tea. You couldn't tell what flavor it was due to how light the taste was, but it was tasty nonetheless. A perfect way to end your massage.

Ann turned to you once the women left so that you could both get dressed.

"So. How was your first time?" She teased, making you cringe. You crinkled your nose at her and grimaced, causing her to cackle.

"Painful, but I know I'm going to feel great tomorrow." You giggled a bit. She nodded her head.

"Same. These ladies definitely knew what they were doing." Ann responded as she began to get dressed. You quickly slipped your romper back on and nearly groaned as you looked at your shoes. They were cute, but they were giving you blisters. "Suck it up for a little while longer, then you'll never have to wear them again." Ann said as she took notice of your disdainful glare at your heels. You painfully put your heels back on, wishing you had a band-aid.

You did your best not to limp as you exited the building with Ann in tow. That massage was way more expensive than you thought it would be. You'd have to make another trip into the Metaverse to make up for the amount you had lost, which made you want to cry. The shadows in Shinji's palace were a little too strong for you, but the ones in Mementos had the chance of coming with a side of murder.

"Dessert time!" She chirped, looking around the street to see if she could find anything. You regretted mentioning dessert earlier. All you wanted to do was go home and tend to your poor ankles. "I don't see any around here." She mumbled, tapping her chin as she thought.

You silently took out your phone and messaged the sweets loving detective, asking for recommendations on places that sold desserts in Shibuya. To your surprise, he immediately responded with a long list of places you could go to, even going as far as giving you recommendations on what you should try.

"How about Katane bakery? Akechi says they have amazing sweet bread and pies." You asked, glancing up at Ann, only to receive a smirk in response. You rolled your eyes and tapped the address into your GPS. It was almost all the way across Shibuya, meaning you'd have to take the train.

You and Ann both traveled back to the station and hopped on the train. You were both able to get seats this time, which delighted you to no end. You were surprised that your ankles haven't started bleeding yet. You wondered if you'd even be able to put your shoes on tomorrow.

Once you got off of the train, you guided Ann to your destination, relief washing over you as the store came into your view. There were potted flowers lined up against the front of the store. You could smell the alluring scent of pastries as you approached it. It smelled like cinnamon, fruit, and sugar. 

"Oh thank god." You groaned as you both approached the front entrance, earning a giggle from the girl beside you. The staff greeted you both as you entered, letting you know what had been made fresh that day. A young girl, about middle school aged, offered you some samples of her favorite things. She gave you both a tiny sliver of pecan pie and half of an apple fritter. A part of you wanted to make Ann buy you one of everything in the bakery. You've only tasted two things, but everything looked and smelled delicious. 

You glanced at Ann from the corner of your eye, noticing that she was doing her best not to drool over some kind of dumpling. You assumed it was some kind of fruit.

After spending a little too long agonizing over what you wanted, you settled for a package of mini cinnamon and sugar donuts. Ann bought herself a loaf of sweet bread and half a dozen dumplings, which you learned were red bean dumplings. The man behind the counter delicately wrapped up your desserts and placed them in separate brown bags for you to take.

You both waved to the staff as you exited the shop and made your ways back to the subway station. This time, you couldn't stop yourself from wobbling and limping as you walked. It took all of your strength not to cuss every time you took a step.

You groaned as you shuffled off the subway at your stop. Ann also groaned, making you feel a little bit better knowing that you weren't the only one suffering.

"Well. I had fun today, even though I wasn't really expecting to model." You sighed, back hunched and knees shaking.

"Me too. You should join me when I model more often. I think you've got what it takes." She giggled half heartedly, trying not to fall over.

"Alright. I'm gunna go pass out for a bit. Bye for now Takamaki-chan." You mumbled, dramatically using the wall to hold yourself up as you walked.

"Ugh. Please. Just call me Ann." She responded, dramatically putting her hands on her knees, a soft smile on her lips.

"Fine. Only if you call me Y/N though." You said, mirroring her crankiness, a smile of your own crawling up your cheeks. You did your best to act natural as the world around you came to a stop and a voice echoed in your ears.

 **_I am thou, thou art I...  
_ ** **_Thou hast acquired a new vow._ **

**_It shall become the wings of hope  
_ ** **_that carry thou beyond what is thought possible._ **

**_With the birth of the Lovers Persona,  
_ ** **_I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
_ ** ******_shall lead to the truth and new power..._**

 _Oh boy._ The world quickly resumed, leaving you to struggle to keep a straight face. Ann just smiled at you brightly, not noticing your internal struggle. 

"Okay! Goodbye N/N! I'll see you again soon!" She chirped, immediately giving you a nickname. She came up with it so quickly, you wondered if she had actually come up with it a while ago.

"Bye Ann." You giggled, waving at her before you exited the station and finally headed home.

**Evening**

You groaned as you entered your bathroom, planning to take care of your aching ankles. A soft ping resounded through the room as you sat down on the floor with a bottle of antiseptic and a handful of bandages. Akechi had messaged you, asking if you were free to talk. You just raised an eyebrow and said yes. You figured you could probably handle cleaning your ankles and talking on the phone at the same time. You picked up the phone once he called.

"Good evening! Sorry for doing this out of no where. I'm being followed by some fans and I needed to seem busy." Akechi said into the phone.

"Well. I'm honored that you chose me to talk to." You giggled, glaring at the bottle of antiseptic that wouldn't open.

"Don't let this go to your head. You were my only choice." He said, immediately deflating your ego, only for you to realize that that was complete bullshit. _If anything, he could've just pretended like he was on the phone. He didn't have to actually call me._

"Whatever you say Akechi." You responded, smirking and finally getting the bottle open.

"Anyways, how did it go with Bonin-chan. Did she get any information?" He asked, changing the subject.

"No. No one's seen her." You sighed, slouching a bit. You took a cotton ball and soaked it with the antiseptic. "We're going to go to the police station tomorrow after I get out of work to file a missing persons report."

"Ah. I see. I hope she's found soon." He said, sounding a bit down. You wondered if he actually cared.

"Yeah. Me too." You mumbled before dabbing the cotton ball against your blisters. "Shit." You hissed as a burning pain ripped its way up your left leg. You sucked in a quick breath, trying not to cry.

"What happened?" Akechi asked quickly, voice filled with concerned. 

"I was walking around in heels all day and they absolutely fucked up my ankles. I'm trying to clean the blisters right now and it hurts." You breathed shakily, sucking it up and pressing the ball against the rest of the cuts on your left ankle. "Oh god. Why did I have to choose heels?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I thought you looked very cute today." Akechi chuckled, making you pause for a moment.

"Were you stalking me?" You questioned, taking some bandages and covering up your wounds.

"Yes I was." He responded, sarcasm coloring his voice.

"Oh. Well thank you." You said before you took a deep breath and prepared to clean your other ankle.

"I can always count on you to play along." He laughed, making you smile a bit. "In all seriousness though, I was in Akihabara for business and saw you modeling with that girl from Shujin Academy." He finished, making you cringe internally. _He saw that?_

"Yeah. I spent the day with Ann." You began, taking note of the soft, quick inhale that came from the speaker. "We modeled, then got lunch. Oh! We should go to the udon place in the backstreets of Akihabara. It's delicious and it could use some positive publicity. The owner was so kind." You said, rambling a bit.

"Are you asking me on a date, L/N?" He teased, making you freeze once again. 

"In your dreams. I just feel like you'd enjoy it." You responded. You groaned as you quickly pressed the cotton ball against your right ankle, trying to clean it well, but also quickly.

"I appreciate the thought. I'll keep it in mind." He said, making you believe that he was dismissing your recommendation. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yup. Fantastic. Just feels like my ankle is on fire." You groaned, slowly feeling the burning sensation disappear. "You're going to school tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, why?" Akechi asked back, audibly confused.

"Because I don't think I'm gunna be able to walk. I need you to carry me." You said as you laid down on the floor, bringing your knee up to your chest so you could wrap it up. 

"Hahaha." Akechi said, telling you that he wouldn't be caught dead doing that. 

"I'll literally cook you a four course meal. Whenever where ever. You could call me in the middle of the night and I'll come over and cook for you." You pleaded, genuinely serious. Due to how your uniform shoes fit your feet, the backs would rub against the wounds, keeping them from healing right. Bandages would only help so much.

"As tempting as that offer is, I'm still going to have to decline. I'd rather not have the media pick up on something like that." He chuckled.

"Well. I tried." You groaned, gently rubbing your sore ankles. "Since we're talking, are you going to stop by for dinner?" You asked him.

"I didn't realize I had that option." Akechi said. You could imagine the quick look of shock that probably crossed his face. 

"I haven't made anything yet. I'm still laying on the floor of my bathroom, recovering from my fatal injuries, but I could whip up something quick. I can't stand for too long." You responded, gathering up the medical supplies, preparing to put them away.

"I wouldn't want to intrude." He said, sounding hesitant.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to. I have to cook myself something or I won't be eating dinner tonight. Making a bit extra wouldn't be a problem. Plus I could just give it to you in your bento box and you could take it to go if you don't want to stay." You explained, grunting as you got off of the floor.

"Alright. I'd like that. I've had a long day, so I'll take it to go." He hummed, letting his exhaustion seep into his tone.

"Okay. I'll start making it now. See you in a bit." You said as you walked out of the bathroom after putting away the stuff you used.

"See you then." He responded before he hung up.

As you got to your kitchen, you looked in your fridge, settling on making Kung Pao Chicken. It would only take you about 30 minutes to make. You weren't sure how close Akechi was. For the side dish, all you planned on making was rice. 

After washing the rice and putting it in the rice cooker, you began prepping the rest of the meal. You cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces and began marinating it. As for the vegetables, you diced a red and green bell pepper, cut up some garlic and ginger, and lastly, cut up a green onion. You silently cursed Akechi for not being able to handle heat. You settled on making chili oil and planned on adding it to your meal when you began eating.

As you were finishing cooking the dish, a soft knock came from your front door.

"It's open." You called, assuming that it was Akechi. You could hear the door open and close, but you couldn't take your eyes off of your meal.

"You just leave your door unlocked? What if I was a stranger? Or a burgler?" An angelic voice said from behind you, making you roll your eyes.

"I left it unlocked because you were coming over. I did that just in case I was still cooking when you arrived, and it's a good thing I did." You responded, earning a chuckle in response. You pulled the pan off of the heat and began prepping Akechi's dinner. "Kung Pao Chicken with rice. I didn't feel like making more, and yes, I'll give you a big portion. If you want dessert, there's ziplock bags in the drawer beside me and mini donuts on the counter." You said, gesturing to the items with your head.

"Ah. So you went to Katane? It's definitely one of my favorite dessert spots." He hummed as he came up next to you and opened the drawer. He took a few of the donuts, then patiently waited for you to finish.

"Everyone there was so friendly. Also, is this enough?" You asked, turning towards him to show him the lunch box. He looked kind of conflicted, so you just rolled your eyes and turned back around to add more. You could practically feel the happiness radiating off of him as he watched you shove as much food as you could into the container. Once you were done, you wrapped it up nice and neat for him and placed it in the bag that once held your donuts and handed it to him. "Your meal my good sir."

"Thank you." Akechi chuckled lazily, fingers grazing against yours as he took the bag from you.

You walked with him to the door so that you could lock it once he left.

"I expect you to eat all of that." You giggled, sleepily rubbing an eye.

"Oh I will. Goodnight L/N. I'll see you tomorrow." He responded, smiling down at you softly.

"Goodnight Akechi. Bye for now." You said, returning his smile. 

You closed the door behind him, locked it, then immediately shuffled back to the food to make yourself a plate. This time, you sat at the couch and ate instead of at your kitchen table. You wanted to watch the news to see if anything about Kaylee would come up.

You sat there for nearly four hours, hoping something about her would come up, but nothing ever did. You finally stood up and cleaned your dishes, and put the leftovers in the fridge. After carefully showering, you dried your hair and prepared for bed.

Sliding under the covers, you silently prayed that you'd find Kaylee soon. Hanging out with Ann had done a good job at distracting you from overthinking, but now that you were alone, you couldn't stop the dark thoughts about what could've happened to her. You wondered if she was even still alive at this point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is it so hard for me to not give everyone a single brain cell? Like, some of the characters have to be smart.
> 
> Idk why, but I've been thinking about Fairy Tail a lot. Lowkey wanna write a Gray x reader some time in the future hakjdshk. Or maybe a Sting x reader. Or Mystogan. Or Erza. Or Mira. Or-
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	20. The Temple of Obsession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting so long to write this :) I hope you all enjoy it.

**May 6th. Friday. Morning**

You hummed in content and stretched out your body as your morning alarm rang. Like you had thought, that massage from yesterday made you feel absolutely amazing, except for the aching pain coming from your ankles, but it wasn't as bad as it was yesterday. You wondered if that massage had boosted any of your stats due to how amazing you felt.

Turning off your alarm, you brought your knees to your chest and removed the bandages so that you could look at the blisters. They were still red and ugly, but they looked better than they did yesterday. You hoped that walking around all day today wouldn't make them worse.

As you made your way to your bathroom, you received a text from Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**6:15 A.M.**

**Akechi:** Good morning! I'll be coming over a little earlier than usual to give you my lunch box.

Why don't you just come over for breakfast? Today's meal will be a grilled salmon steak with rice, miso soup, and rolled omelets. Although, we'll have to share the salmon since I only have 1 left. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Are you sure? I was planning on heading to the corner store by my apartment complex and buying something from there.

>:( **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Fine. What time?

:) **:Y/N**

You might as well come over soon. It won't take me long to cook breakfast. I usually eat while lunch is cooking. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Alright. I need to get dressed and get my things together. It'll probably take me a bit before I arrive. 

Okay! It'll be ready once you get here! **:Y/N**

As you began cooking breakfast, you also prepared to cook lunch. You were craving fried food, so you planned on making pork katsu sandwiches, a mildly spicy bean sprout salad, and a green bean dish with crumbled tofu bits, miso and sesame seeds. If you had any leftover rice, you'd add it to Akechi's lunch since he practically had a black hole for a stomach.

After your breakfast was finished cooking, you moved the pot of miso soup to an unused burner set on the lowest heat so it wouldn't get cold while you waited for Akechi to arrive. You also placed a plate over the top and set the omelets on it, as well as the salmon on it so that the steam from the soup would keep them warm. The rice would stay warm in the rice cooker for a long while.

While you were waiting, you started on the side dishes for your lunch and ate your omelet. You managed to finish cooking the green beans before hearing a soft knock on your door.

"Come in." You called before shoving the last piece of your omelet in your mouth, not feeling like walking all the way to the door and back. The familiar sound of heavy, quick steps filled your ears as the sound of the front door opened and closed.

"You really shouldn't be leaving your door unlocked like this." Akechi sighed, yet almost sounded amused. "Why aren't you dressed? You knew I was coming." He asked, referring to the fact that you were still in your pjs, which consisted of a pair of black cotton track shorts and a grey, oversized t-shirt. 

"It's barely 7 o'clock. We don't have to leave for school for another hour. I don't need to get dressed yet." You responded, reaching for some plates and bowls you had set aside for your breakfast. "Sit." You said as you prepared his meal for him. You could hear a chair scrape against the wooden flooring as he did as he was told.

You walked over and placed his food in front of him, and took your place across from him. You watched as his eyes grazed over the meal set before him, eyes practically twinkling with excitement. He didn't hesitate to reach for the salmon first, pulling off a chunk for himself and placing it on his rice, then scooped a bit into his mouth. He sat quietly as he chewed, eyes closed, like he was savoring the flavor, then he tried the miso soup, drinking the broth and crunching on some green onions.

"This is infinitely better than any convenient store breakfast I've had. Salmon is one of my absolute favorite foods. It's tender and the honey glaze is perfect for it. The miso soup is savory and has the perfect amount of green onions. It's a traditional Japanese breakfast, but it's amazing nonetheless." He said, giving you a close eyed smile.

"Glad you like it." You coughed softly, nearly choking on a mouthful of rice. It was too early in the morning to be getting flustered like this. He just hummed as he continued eating. 

The room was quickly filled with the sound of both of you eating, as well as the TV, which had been switched to some news channel. The newscaster was currently talking about the artist Madarame and how he would be holding an art exhibition later this month.

"Madarame?" Akechi said softly, glancing at the TV. You froze slightly, remembering that Madarame supported Shido by using the money from selling fakes of the Sayuri to fund Shido's campaign.

"I wanna go..." You trailed off, staring at the newscaster. You weren't an artist by any means, but you loved art. Not to mention that you wanted to see Yusukes brilliance in person. This was far greater than a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"You like art?" Akechi asked you.

"Mhm. I love seeing the creativity of others." You explained, turning back to face him. He was staring at you with what seemed to be a calculated gaze, but you couldn't be sure because his expression changed almost immediately when you made eye contact.

"Well. If I can manage to find some time off, I suppose I could take you. It won't be difficult for me to get tickets." He said, a slight smirk twitching at his lips.

"Really?!" You squealed, leaning in and looking him directly in the eyes to see if he was lying. Sadly, his eyes didn't give you any clues to whether he was telling the truth or not.

"Sure. Think of it as a thank you for cooking for me so often." He responded, bringing his glass of water to his lips and taking a sip.

"Yes!" You hissed, practically vibrating with excitement, earning a chuckle from the detective.

Akechi cleaned the dishes you used for breakfast while you finished up lunch. Once you stuffed the sandwiches into the boxes as well as the sides, you finally decided to get dressed. You could feel Akechi's gaze on you as you walked to your room to put on your uniform. You hoped he was looking at the bandages on your ankles and not staring at your ass. 

When you were ready to leave, you found Akechi by the door, already ready to get going. You just rolled your eyes at his impatience and you approached him to put your shoes on.

Finally, you both left your apartment and headed to school. 

"Ow." You hissed as you walked up to the front entrance, feeling like the backs of your shoes had managed to push the bandages off your ankles and were now rubbing directly against your blisters. You could see Akechi glance at you from the corner of your eye, but he didn't comment on your pain.

As you approached your lockers, you and Brook made eye contact. She had a complicated look on her face, making you raise an eyebrow. You watched as Brook opened her mouth to speak to you, but Callie immediately interrupted her, nearly shoving Brook out of the way and slipping her arms around Akechi's waist. 

You could tell that he was doing his best not to scowl. His eyes locked with yours, seeming to plead for help. Using your favorite 'save Akechi' tactic, you discreetly called his phone, watching as he excused himself from the clingy fangirl and walked off in a hurry.

Callie glared at you as you reached for your books. You did your best not to cringe or flinch under her scrutinizing gaze. You wondered if she knew that you helped him. Once you got your stuff, you nearly sprinted to the cafeteria, assuming Akechi would go back for his books once the bell rang.

**Lunch**

As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of your lunch period, you received a text from Brook, telling you to meet her in the girls restroom on the ground floor. You furrowed your eyebrows a bit, wondering why, but you figured you'd find out soon enough. 

"Here." You said, reaching into your bag and handing Akechi his lunch, hoping that not too many people saw as you descended the stairs to the ground floor.

"Why?" He questioned as he took it from you.

"Brook told me to meet her in the restroom, so I thought I'd give you your lunch now, just in case I end up spending the entire lunch hour with her." You explained, earning a nod in response. You gave him a little wave as you stopped in front of the restroom door, receiving a wave back before he walked off.

The moment you entered, Brook rushed at you, nearly slamming the door shut behind you and locking it. You could feel yourself pale at the sudden aggressiveness from the normally laidback girl.

"B-Brook? What the fuck?" You stuttered, looking at her in utter confusion. The serious, yet desperate look in her eyes was jarring.

"Just..." She trailed off, looking at you up and down, formulating her response. "It's you, right? You're the Wolf." She said, making your already rapidly beating heart quicken.

"What makes you-" She cut you off by holding up her phone, revealing the MetaNav app. Two of the three pieces of information were already filled out. The first was the name of the target, Callie Bonin. The second was the location of her distortion, Ichiryu Academy.

"I'll explain everything once we figure out a way into Callie's palace. Kaylee was with us on Monday, but complained about a headache, so she went to the restroom. My best guess is that she was sucked into Callie's palace somehow." Brook explained, making you release a shaky breath.

"Holy shit." You hissed, placing a hand on your head, trying to absorb the information presented to you. _If Kaylee really is in the Metaverse, she's in a lot of danger._ "O-Okay. What keywords have you tried?" You asked, earning a confused look in response. "Uh. Palaces reveal themselves as unique places. For example, a castle or a spaceship. The final keyword will be something like that." You explained to her. She nodded in response and put a finger to her chin as she thought.

"Mansion?" Brook said.

"Distortion invalid." The app responded.

Theater?" You asked.

"Distortion invalid." The app repeated.

"School." Brook attempted.

"Distortion invalid."

"Aquarium?"

"Distortion invalid."

"Military base."

"Distortion invalid."

"Home?"

"Distortion invalid."

You both sighed in defeat after spending nearly 15 minutes attempting different distortions. 

"Okay think. What is Callie like?" You mumbled, only able to think of her obsession with the high school detective and her unnecessary bitter attitude towards literally everyone, especially you. Brook hummed, thinking as well. Slowly, an idea formed in your head. _Obsession._ "Temple..." You whispered.

"Target confirmed. Please tap to begin navigation." The app responded. You and Brook just looked at each other before she looked back down at her phone, and pressed the 'Begin Navigation' button.

The world swirled and changed around you. The once small, dimly lit restroom became an open world and a little too bright. You glanced up at Brook as the world settled and your eyes adjusted. She was wearing a black, tux like outfit with a red tie. Her mask was white with black marbling running across it. A single, double edged broadsword hung in its sheath against her hip. If she hadn't been wearing a mask and sword at her waist, you would've thought that she was a high leveled executive at some large company.

(Brooks outfit. Human base by scarlett-knight on DA! Outfit and design by me <3 Was I too lazy to add the eyes and mouth? Yes I was ;; [Click me!](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/791596538441891840/797423052572852254/Brooks_metaverse_outfit.png))

"What...?" You breathed, looking at her up and down. She didn't respond. Brook turned her head towards the temple, mouth dropping open and face paling.

You turned to look at the palace you would have to go through, only to gasp, horror gripping at your body. Before you stood four, small Aztec like temples, doors wide open for anyone to enter. They were all overgrown and dilapidated, looking like they'd fall apart with a single touch. Behind them, sat a massive, brightly colored temple. It was clearly well taken care of, but unlike the four temples that sat in front, its front entrance was closed.

"You've got to be kidding me." Brook mumbled, staring blankly at the sight before you both.

"How the hell...? She could be in any one of them." You whimpered, panic quickly taking over your body.

Without saying anything more, Brook began walking closer. It took all of your strength to will your legs to move so that you could follow her.

As you got closer, you noticed that there were letters above the temples, spelling out names.

"Y/N L/N..." Brook started, reading the words above the far left temple. "Kaylee Mora." She breathed, reading the name on the temple next to yours. "Brook Bonin... And Goro Akechi." She finished, reading the last two.

You both just stared in disbelief, trying to accept that you both had something to do with Callie's distorted desires.

"O-Okay. Let's think about this logically. Kaylee got sucked into Callie's palace, so she's most likely in the temple with her name above it, right? Either that, or she's in the main temple behind ours." You said, trying to gather your thoughts.

"Those are both good theories. If she is in the main temple, how do we get the door open?" Brook asked, rubbing the sides of her head.

"I have two ideas. Either we need to get Callie to open some kind of door in real life in order for that door to open, or we need to go into each temple and do something that'll open that door. Maybe pull a lever or press a button." You responded, realizing that that would take way too long. 

"Okay, so let's start with Kaylee's temple and go from there." Brook stated. You just nodded in response, wishing you had brought your healing items. You kept a small stash of painkillers in your school bag, but they weren't as strong as the ones you got from Takemi.

The temperature dropped as you entered Kaylee's temple. It got so cold that you could see your breath puff around you. You cursed your outfit for being what it was, leaving you defenseless against the strangely freezing building.

"I'll take the lead." You said, earning a hum of acknowledgement from Brook. Even though she had somehow gotten a persona of her own, you still had more experience when it came to palaces and the Metaverse.

You didn't use Artemis's speed boosting skill this time. You had to be extremely careful, having no idea how powerful the enemies would be in this monstrosity of a palace. Not to mention the traps that most likely littered the temple.

The first room of Kaylee's temple was large and open, only a single, wilting flower in the center of the room.

"That's suspicious." Brook mumbled.

"Very." You said, slowly creeping forwards, delicately placing your foot every time you took a step, just in case there was a pressure plate.

You both made it to the center of the room before you noticed it. Pools of dried blood covered the ground in front of the flower. You glanced up at Brook, knowing this wasn't a good sign. Brook quickly looked around the room and pointed to something behind you. Turning, you noticed the trail of blood leading into the next room.

Carefully, you both followed it. The trail led you through corridor after corridor, each one seemingly longer, and more dangerous than the last. You had multiple traps sprung against you. One trap made fire burst through the cracks in the floor, leaving your body charred. You really wished that you had better healing items. The pills you had healed you, but you had to take way more than you wanted to in order to be in fighting shape again. Another sent moving saw blades hurling towards you both. The saw cut the tips of your outfit tails off due to how fast it was going. The most recent trap made the wall open on your left and darts flew at you both. A sharp cry made you snap your head towards Brook. Her arm was covered in the little darts and was quickly turning red and purple. She had been poisoned.

"Brook!" You cried, sprinting towards her. You had narrowly escaped the rapid fire darts, but Brook had been too slow.

"Sh-shit." She growled, collapsing to her knees as she ripped the small objects from her arm. "Mor'du." She groaned, summoning her Persona.

A large, horrific black bear appeared before her, making you slide to a stop. Its eyes were a milky white and it was covered in scars and weapons. Arrows stuck out of the creatures back and a spear was lodged in its neck. It gave a low, deep growl as a green light burst around Brook. You watched as her arm quickly turned back to her normal skin color.

"Amrita Drop. Cures any status ailment." She explained to you. You just sighed in relief, knowing that you wouldn't have to drag her out of here.

"So... Your persona..." You began, gaining her attention. "What does he specialize in?" You asked.

"Defense and survivability." She explained. Your eyes widened and your mouth dropped open a little. Brook just tilted her head in confusion.

"We're like, the perfect pair. My persona specializes in speed and damage." You said, watching as a confident smile crossed her face. 

"That makes our chances of finding Kaylee much higher. I'll tank the hits, you dish out the damage." She responded. "If only I had an actual healing spell." She sighed.

"There's a good chance you'll get one in the future. Let's just cross our fingers that it's soon." You said. _Her outfit is so uniform, yet her persona is a savage beast. Who does she see as a rebel in society?_

Kaylee's temple was nothing more than a maze of corridors. After your fifth turn, the trail of blood had vanished, so you were just guessing when it came to where she could possibly be. 

Finally, you reached the first saferoom. You and Brook both needed to take a break due to how long you had been creeping around. Glancing at your phone, you noticed that lunch had ended and your 6th period class was going to be starting soon. You've both been wandering around for nearly 2 hours now. 

"Shit. We have to hurry. It's about to be 6th period. If I miss work without saying anything, that'll be extremely suspicious." You mumbled before putting your phone away and walking towards the door. Brook hummed in agreement and followed behind you.

You both began going through the temple faster, deciding that using Artemis's skill Sukukaja would be best. This way, if you did activate a trap, you could quickly escape it.

Thankfully, the temple wasn't nearly as large as you imagined it would've been. It took you an hour to reach the top after leaving the saferoom. The second, and last saferoom sat directly in front of a large closed door. You and Brook took a quick rest before approaching the door.

"What do you think is beyond here?" Brook asked, looking at you, fear etched across the visible part of her face.

"If I had to guess, a boss fight. Maybe Kaylee. Or even nothing at all." You responded, trying to seem confident. You hadn't seen any shadows in here, only traps, so you had no idea what to expect.

**Warning: graphic content**

Taking a deep breath, you pressed your hand against the door, which opened with a loud, reverberating groan that shook the floor beneath you. Anxiety clawed at your skin as you entered, taking note of the crumbling throne at the end of the room, and a woman sitting on top. Your eyes travelled upwards, landing on the body of a familiar looking girl. Kaylee. She had thin strings wrapped around her limbs, some even went straight through her stomach, throat and thighs. 

Her normally olive skin color was nearing a ghostly white. Blood dripped from the strings that went through her body, making them shine in the bright sunlight that seeped through the cracks in the ceiling and walls. The strings were attached to an arch like structure, hooks held the ends of the string, leaving Kaylee suspended high off of the ground.

As you got closer, the woman on the throne began to laugh, but you couldn't take your eyes off of Kaylee's seemingly lifeless body. You could see the sharp cuts that the thin threads left due to the weight of her body.

"Aww. How cute. You look soooo worried about her." The woman cackled, making you snap your head towards her. 

On the throne, sat a cognitive version of Kaylee. Her black hair flowed down the throne and pooled at her feet. She was wearing a ripped, white dress. The bottom of her dress was a muddy brown color. Her dark brown, lifeless eyes pierced straight through your soul when you both made eye contact. You swallowed and gathered your strength.

"Let her go and we won't kill you." You snapped, doing your best to keep your voice from shaking. You removed your weapon from its spot by your hip and pointed it at the shadow.

"Kill her?! Y/N we're here to save her!" Brook gasped, giving you a bewildered look.

"No way." The cognitive figure gasped, then laughed, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. "Y/N? Brook? Not only did I catch one of my ladies competitors, but the other two waltzed right into my hands! Maybe she'll let me live in her temple with her when I bring her your heads. Yes. If I beg hard enough..." Callie's cognitive version of Kaylee began rambling to herself. You glanced at Brook from the corner of your eye and gave her a look that said, 'What the fuck.'

"This thing standing in front of us isn't Kaylee. Kaylee is above her. We can kill this thing with no consequences." You whispered as quietly as you could, earning a nod from Brook in response.

"I can hear you, you know." A feminine voice whispered into your ear, making you freeze up. You snapped your head to the side, only to be sent flying by a powerful physical attack. 

You could hear Brook scream your name as your body crashed to the ground. Your ears were ringing and your mind was swimming. You groaned as you forced yourself to sit up. Brook was quick to your side, helping you stand.

"She's strong." You mumbled, spitting the blood that was pooling in your mouth onto the ground.

"Pathetic! Did you really think I'd let you win?!" Cognitive Kaylee screamed as she began transforming. From the shadowy darkness where she had dissipated, emerged a two headed beast with a large, blue green mane and a dragon-like tail. You recognized the beast as an Orthrus, a mini boss from Kaneshiro's palace.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. We're out matched." You squeaked as you pushed Brook hard, forcing her to start running.

The beast didn't hesitate to charge at you both, claws scraping against the ground as she approached you.

"A-Artemis." You stuttered, calling your persona. The stag she rides slammed his horns into the Orthrus, slowing her down as you raced to the saferoom.

"You won't get out of here alive!" Kaylee howled, slamming her front paws against the ground, causing the entire temple to shake. The sudden movement of the ground beneath you made you both fall. A loud crash and plume of dust rose in the air by the door. As the dust cleared, you realized that the ceiling had caved in, blocking the entrance, leaving you both trapped. Either you'd have to fight your way out, or die trying.

"Mor'du!" Brook yelled, summoning the massive beast of her persona. He swiped at the shadow, claws ripping chunks of her mane out, causing her to roar in pain.

"Artemis!" You summoned once more, commanding her to cast Bufu. The two headed beast collapsed to the ground, leaving her vulnerable to your piercing needle strikes. You sprinted at cognitive Kaylee and stabbed her as many times as you could before she began regaining her composure.

"Hahaha! You think that'll be enough to beat me?" She yelled, heat radiating off her body as she prepared to cast Agilao. You panicked when she aimed for you and casted the skill. You were barely able to get out of the way, hair singed by just how close you had been to being hit.

"Bufu!" You yelled, Artemis showed herself and casted the skill again.

"Cleave!" Brook said, summoning Mor'du to do some damage as well. Orthrus Kaylee slid across the ground from the impact and collapsed to her knees, dizzy from hitting her ice weakness. 

She quickly recovered and roared, saying that she had had enough. Before you could react, she sent a stream of fire at you, hitting you dead on. Pain ripped through your body as you slid across the rugged stone flooring, leaving a dark red trail of blood in your wake. Your body was screaming in pain, but you couldn't move. All you could do was squint your eyes open and watch as shadow Kaylee used some kind of physical attack and threw Brook across the room. The crunching sound of her spine as she made contact with the brick wall made your skin crawl. She fell to the ground, body completely limp, blood oozing around her.

"How cute. Down already? I was just starting to have fun." She growled as she raced towards you. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't move. As she got closer and closer, your vision began to get dark. A buzzing sound rang through your ears, quickly getting louder, drowning out nearly all sounds.

**Warning end**

"I don't think so." A weirdly familiar voice spoke. A loud crash echoed through the collapsing room as the beast was sent flying.

"Hehe! Mediarama!" A child-like voice chirped. Your vision quickly returned and your body relaxed as you were healed. You looked upward at the two beings in front of you.

"Archangel? Agathion?" You questioned as you stood back up with the help of the Archangel, who had held his hand out for you.

"Hehe! Hello again human!" The potted gremlin giggled, spinning around in a circle.

"Again?" You whispered, before realizing that these were the same two shadows you had spoken to in Kamoshida's castle. This Agathion had healed the Phantom Thieves for you.

"We've been sent here to aid you in battle!" The Archangel spoke, confidently raising his sword towards Kaylee, who was slowly getting back on her feet.

"Y/N. What the hell have you been up to?" Brook asked as she approached the two former shadows.

"Uh... Messing with the plot." You mumbled as you faced Kaylee once more.

"Ohhh. Calling for backup huh? Precious." Cognitive Kaylee cackled as she finally managed to get back up.

"Hehe. Long pointy nose man helped us get stronger so we could help friends! Hehe! Help friends help friends!" The child-like persona giggled as it did a little dance.

"I don't know what that means, but we're glad you're here." Brook said. You nodded to them both in response. 

"Brook, cast some defense raising skills. I'll cast speed raising skills. Archangel, you cast attack raising skills, then we'll attack together. Agathion, stay back and keep us healed." You commanded, ready to finish this battle and save your friend. 

They all followed your command, each of you raising the others stats. Kaylee did her best to keep you all from setting up, but thanks to Artemis being the speedy monster that she was, she was able to cast Sukukaja on all three of you quickly, making it easier for you to dodge out of the way of attacks.

Finally, the three of you were ready to begin attacking. You led the attack, diving in head first with swift jabs from your weapon. Archangel used Power Slash, doing a heavy amount of damage, but hurting himself in response. Although, he didn't have to worry because Agathion was quick to cast Dia on him. Brook casted Garu, sending a flurry of wind ripping through the beast. 

Orthrus Kaylee was having trouble keeping up with the barrage of attacks you were all sending at her. Eventually, she collapsed. Archangel didn't hesitate to slash his sword through her one last time, making her explode into a shadowy mess.

The strings around the real Kaylee dissolved, leaving her to fall through the air.

"Kaylee!" Brook cried, sprinting forwards.

"No!" You screamed, racing forwards as well. Archangel was quick to react, flapping his wings and soaring into the air, catching Kaylee.

You and Brook both breathed a sigh of relief as he landed in front of you, holding your limp friend. Shakily, you reached for her, gently placing your fingers against her throat. Despite everything that had happened, you could feel the slightest of pulses.

"Agathion." You gasped, turning towards the little gremlin.

"Hehe! Already on it!" It giggled, casting Mediarama, healing not only Kaylee, but the rest of you as well.

Kaylee took a loud, deep breath as she was healed. Slowly, she began opening her eyes and looking around. Her eyes jumped from Archangel to Brook, then to you and lastly Agathion. You watched as her eyes widened and she began to panic, attempting to wiggle her way out of Archangels arms.

"Wait Kaylee! It's us." Brook said quickly, removing her mask. You also quickly removed your mask, revealing your face. Kaylee froze and stared at you both with bewilderment, then glanced at the personae.

"That's Archangel, and this is Agathion." You explained. "They helped us rescue you."

"Rescue? Where are we?" She asked shakily as Archangel set her down. The moment her feet touched the ground, she collapsed onto you, squeezing you with an iron grip.

"We're in Callie's palace." Brook said.

"What?" Kaylee questioned, still clinging to you. You wrapped your arms around her waist, keeping her from falling to the ground.

"It's a long story." You sighed. "I'm just glad we got here in time." You mumbled, earning a hum of agreement from Brook. "We should get out of here. School will be over soon and we can't afford to be seen as we leave."

"How do we get out?" Brook asked as she looked at the blocked exit.

"Leave that to us." Archangel said, scooping both you and Kaylee into his arms, flapping his large red wings. You squealed as you gripped both the persona and Kaylee.

"Up we go!" Agathion chirped as Brook sat on top of its lid and it began to hover into the air.

The two former shadows flew through the large holes in the roof and headed towards the ground. While in the air, you took a moment to look at the main temple, noticing that one of the torches around the entrance had been lit. _There are four torches. Do we need to beat each of the mini bosses to reach Callie's shadow? Or to reach the main palace in general?_ This was by far the largest palace you've ever seen. _Callie must have a lot of problems._

"Human. Should you need our assistance in the future, do not hesitate to call for us." The Archangel said as he set both you and Kaylee on the ground.

"Hehe! Yes! We will help!" Agathion giggled as it landed with Brook. Before you could respond, the two personae disappeared in a shadowy haze, leaving you to wonder how you would do that. _Agathion mentioned Igor, right? Maybe he'll explain it._

You guided the other two towards where the exit should be. After a few minutes of walking, the world swam around you, before settling and leaving you back in your world, at the entrance of Ichiryu.

"Oh god." Kaylee groaned, swaying a bit. Brook was quick to hook her arms around Kaylee so she wouldn't fall. You took out your phone to glance at the time. It was nearing 4:00 P.M., meaning school got out in 30 minutes. You also had a few texts from Akechi, asking how things were going, and where you were. You'd respond to him later once you formed a cohesive excuse.

"W-What do we do now?" Brook stuttered, looking exhausted. 

"Come on." You said, walking to the other side of Kaylee and hooking her other arm around your shoulder so you could support her. You dragged the two girls to the station and hopped on the train in order to get to Shibuya. You dug through your school bag and removed the key to your apartment. "Here." You handed it to Brook. "Do you remember where my apartment is?" You asked the girls. Kaylee looked like she had spaced out, not giving you a direct response.

"I do." Brook responded, relieving you.

"Alright. Head there. I have to go to work. We already ditched school. I don't want to ditch the job that's keeping me from being homeless." You sighed, earning nods in response.

At the second transfer, Brook took Kaylee to the Shibuya line, while you headed to the Aoyama-Itchome line so you could head to Shujin. You were nervous. You hoped no one would notice just how late you were. 

The bell rang as you entered the school. You flew up the stairs and zoomed to your classroom, finding the students all working on their homework. After making a quick apology and coming up with some dumb excuse, you got to work.

**Evening**

As your teaching time came to an end, your racing heart finally decided to relax. No one had really questioned why you were late and Kobayakawa nor any of the other teachers approached you about your tardiness.

The sound of the wooden floorboards creaking outside of your classroom made you glance up. You made eye contact with the student counsel president, who had a hard glint to her eyes.

"Hey Mako-chan. What's up?" You asked as you approached her. She exhaled heavily through her nose as you both began walking together.

"The Principal wants me to investigate who the Phantom Thieves could possibly be..." She trailed off, glaring at the floor. _Oh shit. That starts today?!_

"Kobayakawa believes that they're real? Do you think they're real?" You questioned, trying to seem like you were just making conversation.

"He said that there's no denying that Kamoshida changed after the Phantom Thieves sent him a calling card. So it's definitely possible that they do exist." She responded.

"Yeah that's true. Do you have any ideas on how you're going to figure out their identities?" You asked, assuming she would tell you that she had no idea, or maybe that she would be stalking certain people.

"I was... hoping to ask for your help." Makoto said, glancing at you. _Ah. Yes. Why didn't I see this coming? Fuck._ You immediately panicked internally. Makoto was supposed to figure out their identities on her own. You couldn't help her.

"Well. I suppose it depends on what you want me to do." You began carefully. You didn't want to seem suspicious by outright rejecting her request for help. "I'm not going to stalk people for you." You giggled, earning a little smile in response.

"All you have to do is keep your ears open. If they really are high school students, then they're bound to be a little careless. Maybe you'll overhear something while you're tutoring or walking through the halls." She responded, making you feel a bit relieved. That was something you could do.

"Yeah. Alright. I can do that. If I hear anything, I'll get back to you ASAP." You hummed, trying not to let your panic show.

"Thank you N/N-chan. And please... If you hear anything, please don't tell Akechi-kun." She said, sounding a bit uncertain.

"Why's that?" You wondered, glancing at her. She looked hesitant, but eventually sighed and frowned.

"Principal Kobayakawa said that if I'm not able to figure out their identities and report them to him, it'll reflect poorly on Sae. I don't want to burden my sister." Makoto mumbled the last part, looking forlorn.

"I see. I won't tell him anything." You said, hooking your pinky with hers in a pinky promise. She squeezed your pinky and smiled at you, relief softening her face.

You waved goodbye as you reached the Shibuya station with Makoto, earning a wave back before she walked off to her next train. The moment she was out of your sight, you practically sprinted home. You wanted to know why Brook had a persona and didn't tell you.

Once you reached your apartment, you ran your hand over the door frame, looking for the spare key you had hidden. After you grabbed it, you opened the door to find Brook sitting on your couch watching TV. Kaylee was laying down with her head on Brooks lap. She looked horrible.

"Welcome home." Brook said softly, turning her head to look at you.

"Hey. How is she?" You asked as you quickly slipped off your shoes and dropped your school bag at the door.

"Tired. Dehydrated. Starving. Mentally scarred." Brook mumbled, trying not to wake up Kaylee.

"Poor thing..." You breathed, staring down at her. She was still a bit pale and her cheeks were sunken in a little. "I think it's about time we talked about what happened." You sighed, feeling bad that you had to wake up Kaylee. Brook nodded and gently nudged Kaylee, earning an annoyed groan in response.

"Wake up. Y/N is back. We're going to talk about what happened." Brook said a bit sternly. You couldn't help but stare at Brook a little. It was like she had become a completely different person after revealing that she had a persona. Kaylee slowly opened her eyes and sat up, looking up at you as she did. "What should we talk about first?" Brook asked as you dragged a chair from your kitchen table over so that you could face them as you all spoke.

"Let's start with how Kaylee ended up in the Metaverse and what happened when we went into Callie's palace." You said, earning a nod. You looked over at Kaylee, who looked like she was struggling to think.

"I remember getting a terrible headache as we walked into school. It was so bad that I thought I was going to pass out, so I went to the restroom to sit in private to see if it would go away, but when I walked in, everything became distorted and I passed out. Then... I woke up and you were all around me." She mumbled, rubbing her temples as she spoke.

"A headache... That's how I entered the Metaverse for the first time." You told them. "I was tutoring at Shujin when I suddenly felt like my head was going to split open. After a bit, I was suddenly taken deep into Kamoshida's palace. While I was trying to escape, Kamoshida captured me and nearly killed me. I woke up to my persona as I was lying on the ground dying. I also met those two shadows in Kamoshida's palace. I was fighting them, then I said their names and they remembered who they really were. The Agathion helped me a bit. I don't know why they showed up again though." You mumbled, wondering what Igor was up to.

"It's a good thing they showed up, or we would've died trying to save you." Brook said, directing her attention to Kaylee.

"So... Callie has a palace? What does that mean again?" She asked, visibly confused. You were sure that she had a headache from the information overload.

"It means that her desires are so distorted that they manifested into a place that reflect her desires. From what I noticed, she seems to think that she's better than us and Akechi. I don't understand what Akechi has to do with it though." You said.

"Maybe because she's literally in love with him. She talks about you two nonstop. It's annoying." Brook said coldly, clearly done with her sisters shit.

"If that's true, then why did he have a decrepit temple like we did? Does she think she's better than him because he's an antagonist? Or that she can fix him?" You wondered out loud, thinking that you sounded crazy.

"Maybe. I suppose we'll only find out if we change her heart." Brook responded, making you look up at her.

"What does changing someone's heart do again?" Kaylee asked, needing a refresher course.

"It'll make her aware of her distorted desires. Basically make her come to her senses." You explained to her before returning your attention to Brook. "You want to change Callie's heart?" 

"I love her, but she needs a wake up call. I think it'll make this stay in a completely different world a lot easier if she didn't have it out for you for whatever reason." Brook said firmly, showing no hesitation. You nodded in response.

"Alright. We'll have to get a lot stronger before we're able to do that." You told her before finally getting to what you've been dying to ask her all day. "Lastly, how did you get your persona? When did you awaken to him?" Brook sighed and hunched her shoulders a bit, unable to make eye contact with you.

"We lied to you." She began, making you furrow your eyebrows. "Callie and I didn't run into Sumire while going to Ichiryu. Callie and I were sucked into Mementos early in the morning while we were doing some exploring before we went to the school. I think that's the name of the place at least. We were being hunted by a shadow when we were cornered. Callie may be my older sister, but she's a coward. I wanted to do everything I could to protect her, and that's when I awoke to Mor'du. I didn't think awakening to a persona was important since I wasn't planning on ever going back into the Metaverse, especially after you told us about Akechi-san and the Phantom Thieves. I didn't want to get mixed up with them." Brook finished, still unable to look at you. _Are you fucking kidding me?! She had a persona on the FIRST day?_

Your silence made her look up at you. You were struggling to accept this information.

"And Callie had the audacity to scream at me about Igor." You growled, feeling genuinely angry. You rubbed your face, trying to calm down. "What the fuck?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't aware of this either." Kaylee mumbled nervously. 

Your phone buzzed in your front pocket, momentarily distracting you from your anger that was mostly towards Callie. Taking it out, you noticed it was a text from Akechi, asking if he could come over. A few of the words were misspelled, making you wonder if he typed it quickly.

"Shit. Akechi wants to come over. What am I supposed to tell him?" You asked, panicking a little bit. Your mind was still trying to absorb what Brook just told you, making you unable to think of a solid excuse.

"Tell him that I got sick and you had to take me home. Maybe also say that you didn't look at your phone or that it died or that you were too busy taking care of me." Brook said, throwing you a bone, making you sigh in relief. You didn't think it was that believable, but with how exhausted you probably looked, you thought he might actually believe it. "What are we going to do with Kaylee?" Brook asked as she stood up and helped Kaylee to her feet.

"I'll try to get her a doctors note tomorrow after work. Take her home for now and let her rest." You told Brook, glancing at Kaylee, who looked ready to go back to sleep. Brook nodded and quickly gathered her things. As they both walked out of the door, you prayed that they wouldn't run into Akechi on the way out.

You waited about 5 minutes until you responded to the detective.

**Goro Akechi**

**12:35 P.M.**

**Akechi:** I hope I'm not intruding, but how is everything going? Is Bonin-chan alright?

**1:05 P.M.**

**Akechi:** Where are you? Class has started.

**6:28 P.M.**

**Akechi:** Pease excuse my barrage of txts, but you have me worried. Are you alrght? May I come over?

**6:33 P.M.**

Sorry Akechi. I'm alright! Just really tired. You can come over. Idk if I'm going to be cooking dinner or not. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Oh good! I'm glad. I'll be there soon. I can pick up something if you'd like? There are a few restaurants on the way to your apartment. Pizza perhaps?

Mmm. Pizza. Yes please. I'd like pepperoni please :) **:Y/N**

You left the door unlocked and walked over to your couch, collapsing on top of it face first. You were mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. So much had happened today. _Okay so, first and foremost, Kaylee is alright. Second, Brook has a fucking persona. Why did Igor choose me if she already had one? Third, Callie has a whole ass palace. Not only that, but it's massive as fuck. There are four mini bosses, well, three mini bosses that need to be beaten before we can even enter the main part of her palace. What the absolute hell. How is she so fucked up, but Brook isn't?_

The soft clicking sound of your door knob turning made your thoughts cease. You listened as your door quietly creaked open and the familiar sound of shoes against your wooden floor hit your ears.

"One of these days, I won't be the one coming through your front door." Akechi chuckled, making you smile a bit. "Are you alright?" He sounded closer this time. You turned your head and smiled up at him softly.

"Bedtime." Was all you said, earning a sigh in response.

"May I ask where you've been all day? You not showing up for class was surprising to say the least." He hummed. You turned your head so that your face was smothered by the pillow on your couch once more. You weren't sure if he'd believe you if he could see your eyes and expression.

"I walked into the restroom at school and found Brook heaving over one of the toilets. I just took her back to her dorm and took care of her all day until Callie finally got back. I'm sorry I didn't respond to you. I was too busy trying to get the vomit out of-" You were interrupted by the detective before you could finish.

"Alright. Let's not talk about that anymore since we're about to eat." He chuckled awkwardly, seeming to believe you. You rolled over and stared up at him for a moment, noticing that he almost looked relieved. Although, his expression changed too quickly for you to be able to tell if that was what he was really feeling. Finally, you sat up and got off of the couch and walked over to your dinner, which smelled absolutely amazing. You didn't even have to look at the pizza to know that the crust was seasoned with garlic and parmesan. 

"I forgot that I haven't eaten since breakfast." You mumbled as you sat and stared at the box. Akechi gave a forced chuckle, then walked to the cupboard that held the plates and retrieved one for you and one for him. He opened the box that held the pizza and you nearly started drooling. 

"Which slice would you like?" He asked politely.

"All of them." You responded, eyeing a particularly pretty looking slice that looked the biggest and had the most pepperoni.

"Let's start with two for now." Akechi laughed, grabbing the piece you were staring at, as well as the piece next to it and placed it on your plate. "Any toppings? Chili flakes? Parmesan?" He questioned, holding up a little baggie that held separate packets of parmesan and red crushed pepper flakes.

"Yes." You responded, reaching for the bag. He chuckled softly and handed it to you, watching as you dumped both condiments on. With no hesitation, you took a bite. The cheese was stringy and flavorful. The pepperoni was crispy around the edges, giving the pizza more flavor and texture. The crust was crisp, yet light. Everything was perfectly proportioned.

"This is what I'd often eat for dinner before you showed up." He said, making you raise an eyebrow.

"How have you survived so long without me?" You teased, earning a smirk in response.

"A healthy amount of exercise and lots of water." He responded, making you roll your eyes.

It was nearing 7:30 P.M. when you both finished eating. You sat back in your seat while the gentleman across from you stood up and took the dishes to the sink. You glanced over at him when you heard him turn on your sink, watching as he put on the gloves and started cleaning the dishes. You sighed softly and sunk in your chair, fully prepared to pass out.

"By the way, did you go to the police station today?" Akechi asked, making your tiredness disappear in an instant as you attempted to wrack your brain for an answer. _Do I tell him that we found Kaylee? Or that I wasn't able to go? Fuck?_

"Oh. Uh. No I didn't." You groaned internally, definitely sounding suspicious. "Kaylee actually texted me back today. She said she was in the hospital. She didn't go into very much detail about what had happened. I saw her earlier today at her dorm when I took Brook home. She didn't look very good." 

"I see. Well, I'm glad she didn't actually go missing. I hope she feels better soon." He responded. It didn't take him long to finish washing the dishes, he even cleaned out his bento box for you. When he finished, he prepared to leave, grabbing his briefcase and putting on his shoes. You walked with him to the door in order to say goodbye.

"Thanks for bringing dinner. I already want to eat more." You giggled lazily.

"Of course. Don't eat too much or you'll get sick." He chuckled. "Also, please don't leave your door unlocked for me next time. I mean it. Something bad is bound to happen." He sighed that last part.

"Fine." You groaned. "Goodnight Akechi." You pouted.

"Goodnight L/N. I'll see you tomorrow." He laughed before he turned and walked away.

The moment you closed the door, you went to the bathroom and got ready for bed. You soaked in the tub for a good long while before you felt like getting out. After spending some time drying your hair, you finally crawled into bed, fully expecting a visit from the false god tonight.

**Midnight**

The sound of an electric baton buzzing in your ear made you open your eyes. It didn't frighten you as much this time. Justine gestured for you to get up and exit the cell, to which you did immediately, not wanting to be yelled at or zapped.

"Welcome back, child from the beyond. What did you think of my little gift to you?" Igor asked as you came to a stop in front of him.

"You mean the personae that came back and helped me? If it wasn't for them, my friend and I would've died. Thank you." You responded, realizing just how close to death you were.

"Yes. Since you aren't able to harbor the power of multiple personae like you are supposed to, yet you can form bonds with them, I thought it would be useful to figure out a way that you could still use them." He began. "I have set up a place for you to keep the personae you form bonds with. Please, approach me and I will explain further."

You swallowed slightly, then glanced at the girls beside you before stepping towards his desk. As you reached him, Igor held up a silver chain necklace that had three teardrop like charms. One was blue, another was green, and the last was red. You assumed that they were a sapphire, emerald and ruby.

"This is no ordinary necklace. I spent a lot of my time and power to create it. It'll act similarly to how your mask was supposed to work. Each crystal can hold a single persona. Agathion and Archangel are already sealed inside of it. In order to summon them, simply call their names while holding their respective charm. Currently, you may only hold three extra personae." He explained, handing the necklace to you. "I am also currently working on a training facility of sorts for the personae you capture. As I'm sure you noticed, both Agathion and Archangel were considerably stronger than when you first met them."

"T-Thank you sir." You stuttered, staring at the piece of jewelry in your hands. _Okay. So this is like Pokémon, right? Gotta catch'em all._

"Think nothing of it." He chuckled. "Although, I must warn you. You must watch your personas health. Should it deplete completely, it will dissolve like a shadow would, and you'll lose them." He told you. _I've done Pokémon nuzlockes before. I can handle this._ "I feel like it would be best if you learned the rest of the features that necklace has to offer on your own."

You raised an eyebrow at him before a baton appeared in front of you. You quickly backed up, nearly tripping as you tried not to get shocked.

"It seems as though our time is up for now. I hope you'll put my gift to good use. Farewell." Igor said before you were prodded back into your cell. You had so many questions, but you weren't given any time to ask them. _Why did you choose me and not Brook? Why does Callie have a palace so big? How is Kaylee's place in the world solidified like mine, Brooks and Callie's?_

You laid back down, internally grumbling to yourself. You figured that when you had some time, you'd head into Mementos or Shinji's palace and mess around with the necklace to see what else it could do.

Ever so slowly, the world went black and your consciousness faded as your mind returned to the real world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I accidentally said that Kaylee was a shadow! The Kaylee reader fights is a cognitive version created my Callie! My bad hafdkjshdk. Reader doesn't kill Kaylee hhhhh. I shouldn't edit these at 4 in the morning :')
> 
> This was originally supposed to be two days, but the people in the discord have spoken. They wanted a 1 day chapter posted sooner <3
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	21. The First Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have officially been asked to change someone's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was a little late. I accidentally spent 5 hours uploading all of my characters and their artwork to toyhouse in a single sitting (There's still a ton of artwork that I haven't uploaded for one of my characters but I don't think i'm physically capable of uploading all 100 art pieces for him). My brain turned into total mush after that so I wasn't able to write that day fhakdjsfhkj :')

**May 7th. Saturday. Morning**

Despite being sucked into the Velvet Room last night, you felt well rested, probably because you went to bed nearly 2 hours earlier than you usually do. As you sat up, you felt something move around your neck. Glancing down, you noticed the charm necklace that Igor had given you. You didn't expect it to come into the real world with you. A part of you wanted to lock it away in a drawer somewhere, but you knew you should keep it on you. Just in case. At least the necklace would be covered by your uniform, so no one would see you wearing such an expensive looking piece of jewelry.

You went through your messages as you shuffled to your bathroom. You told Brook and Kaylee to stay home today, since you told Akechi that Brook was sick and you felt like someone should keep an eye on Kaylee. You weren't sure if Kaylee would suffer any trauma. It seemed like she didn't remember anything that happened. You'd make sure to question her again soon to see if she had any lingering trauma.

After exiting your bathroom, you took out the leftover pizza from last night and heated it up in your oven so it wouldn't be soggy. For lunch, you planned on making a honey lemon chicken dish that you found online. It didn't look half bad, so you thought you'd give it a shot. You were getting tired of coming up with recipes on your own. Although, you did tweak the recipe you found just a little bit.

Once you were done, you packed up your things and prepared to leave. Before you left, you shoved the medicine that you had bought from Takemi into your school bag. Even though you now had a persona with healing skills, you wanted to make sure that you could heal yourself without using your SP or stamina. If you remembered correctly, going to the gym and working out would raise your HP and SP. You wondered if there were any gyms with cheap memberships near your apartment.

As you exited your apartment complex, you made eye contact with the one and only second coming of the Ace Detective Prince. He gave you a gentle smile as you descended the stair case.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" Akechi asked as you began walking with him. You could feel him looking down at you.

"Pretty well. I'm honestly surprised I didn't fall asleep while you cleaned the dishes last night." You giggled, holding your hand over your mouth. "How about you?"

"I can't complain. I got a solid seven hours of sleep. That's one more hour than I usually get." He responded, a smile gracing his lips.

Just like many other days, you were forcefully pressed against Akechi during one of your train rides to school. You had to hold onto him for support, so you wouldn't bump into other people or fall over from the turns and occasional bumps during the ride. 

You could feel Callie staring you down as you entered the school. You had a feeling that she knew something was up due to the look on her face. Although, the moment she spotted Akechi, that look disappeared.

A small folded piece of paper slipped out of your locker as you opened it, slowly fluttering to the ground. You bent down and picked it up, carefully unfolding it so you could read it without anyone else seeing what was written.

You did your best not to panic as you saw what the black letters spelled out in neat handwriting. "I know who you are, Black Wolf. Meet me on the roof during lunch. Come alone." You quickly glanced around, trying to see if anyone looked suspicious or like they were watching you. No one looked out of the ordinary. 

"Oooooh. N/N." Callie cooed, using your nickname. Her tone nearly made you gag. "Is that a love note?" She giggled, making you look at her in disgust. You glanced up at Akechi, visibly cringing at him. He just had an eyebrow raised, like he was interested in hearing your answer. _What the hell?_

"Yes. Jealous?" You smiled as you tucked the piece of paper into your peacoat pocket and grabbed your books, still panicking internally.

"Gross. Who would like you?" Callie groaned, earning awkward laughs from the other fangirls. It took all of your strength not to reveal that the Phantom Thieves liked you, as well as Akechi. Although, that was all platonic. Except for Morgana. You felt like he liked you a little too much.

"Aww. Jealousy isn't a cute look for you." You cooed, mocking her tone from earlier as you closed your locker. Callie gave a frustrated scoff, face turning red and a frown curling onto her lips, but you had began walking off before she could say anything in response.

Akechi was quick to excuse himself and follow you down the hallway.

"I don't think I've ever seen you stand up for yourself in front of her before." Akechi said, almost sounding proud.

"I've snapped at her a few times within the past month." You chuckled, already feeling mentally drained.

"Did you really get a love note?" Akechi asked, doing his signature head tilt.

"Are you jealous too Akechi?" You cooed in an attempt to dance around the question. "We'll always be friends if that's what you're worried about." You joked as you slipped your arm around his and gave it a little squeeze before letting go. "Bros before hoes, am I right?" 

"Is this what's known as the friendzone?" He questioned, a slight smirk on his lips.

"Yes it is. It's better than the brotherzone." You explained, earning a chuckle in response.

"How so?" He asked, seeming like he was actually interested.

"Well, the friendzone isn't a permanent place. For some people it is. For others, they manage to get out. The brotherzone however, is impossible to leave. If I saw you like a brother, I'd never want to be anything more because that's gross." You said, trying to be serious, but failing. "Any familial zone is impossible to get out of."

"So what you're saying is, is that I have a chance?" He said, voice cracking with a laugh.

"Do you want a chance?" You asked, giving him a wink and doing finger guns. He scrunched up his nose and squinted his eyes a bit as he cringed in disgust.

"Never." He responded, making you laugh.

"Yeah that's fair." You giggled, earning a soft laugh in response.

**Lunch**

You took a deep breath as the bell rang. Your insides quivered as you stood from your chair and slowly walked out of the classroom. 

"Is something wrong?" A soft masculine voice asked you. You looked up at Akechi nervously.

"Uh. The person who gave me the love note wants me to meet him on the roof alone." You groaned, wondering who could've figured out your identity. A part of you wondered if it was just Akechi who figured it out.

"I see. Are you going to spend the entire lunch time with him? Or will you be joining me later?" He questioned. You wondered why he seemed bitter.

"Here." You sighed, giving him his lunch. "I don't think it'll take all lunch, but who knows." You mumbled, trying to keep your voice from shaking. You almost wanted Akechi to join you. You were positive you were about to be blackmailed.

"Alright. I'll see you later." He hummed before walking off.

You trudged to the roof, legs wobbling and hands shaking as you ascended the staircase. You stopped in front of the door, staring down at the knob. Slowly, you turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. A soft breeze hit your face as the dark stairwell lit up from the bright sun.

You squinted as you walked out, temporarily blinded. As your eyes adjusted, you came face to face with a black haired boy. His deep brown eyes had a calculating look to them.

"Hello Takuji-kun." You said a bit coldly as you made eye contact with the student council president, not expecting it to be him.

"Hello L/N-san. It's a lovely day, isn't it?" He responded, eyeing you carefully.

"What do you want? Are you going to turn me in? Blackmail me?" You responded, ignoring his question. You just wanted to get this over with.

"Not quite. I'd rather not be on bad terms with someone who's capable of forcing a person to have a change of heart." Takuji hummed before he turned around and walked towards one of the rarely used tables. "Come. Let's talk for a bit." He said and tapped the spot across from him. You hesitantly approached him and silently took a seat.

"Well?" You asked, waiting for him to say what he wanted from you.

"I have to ask. How do you do it?" He asked, making you scrunch up your eyebrows in confusion. "Make someone have a change of heart I mean." He explained, realizing that he wasn't clear enough.

"That's... complicated. Long story short, I steal the cause of their distorted desires. By doing that, it brings the person to their senses." You responded, hoping he was satisfied with that answer. You didn't want to possibly anger him by avoiding questions. Being exposed is the last thing you wanted.

"Interesting. Does it have anything to do with the fact that you and some of the other American transfer students materialized out of thin air yesterday right before school ended?" He questioned, making you pale. You could feel your heartbeat in your toes and fingertips. A smile slowly crawled onto his cheeks as he waited for your answer.

"...Yes." You whispered, watching his eyes light up. He leaned forwards and rested his arms against the table.

"Fascinating! Tell me, what was that? Teleportation? Dimension hopping? Or maybe something else?" He pried, speaking quickly. Takuji looked like a child in a candy store.

"I'm not telling you anything more until you tell me why I'm here." You said, gripping the edge of your skirt so tightly that your knuckles were turning white.

"Ah yes. My bad. I was just so excited." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "I wanted to ask if you could help me, er- well, my dad. My father works with a man named Kato Shinji. I'm sure you've heard that name by now." He began, making you nod. _I've already been to his palace._ "Well, my father is the chief financial officer, meaning he works side by side with the CEO. My father is the one who leaked that video of Shinji-san visiting that illegal fox farm. Shinji-san and my dad have been best friends since they were little. Seeing my dad hurt over his best friends actions is hard. I was hoping... that I could ask you to change Shinji-sans heart and make him confess to his crimes. So that it'll put my father at ease." He finished, shoulders hunched and eyes downcast. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. 

You stayed silent as you thought. _Would Brook help me with this? She said that she didn't want to go back into the Metaverse, but she wants to change Callie's heart. Wait. I can't change an infamous CEOs heart. Then Akechi would really be after me... But Takuji seems so sad and Shinji deserves a punch to the throat._

"I... I need some time to think about this. Changing Shinji-sans heart would be extremely difficult. Not to mention that I'll become more well known. I'd rather not have my best friend hunting me down." You sighed, watching disappointment cross his face.

"I understand. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. I really want to help my dad." He responded before standing and bowing to you. You just sat there as you watched him walk away.

This hadn't been the meeting you were expecting. _I don't think Takuji will try to blackmail me or try to expose me, but I can't just ignore this. I have to do this, don't I...? If I don't, the Thieves might try to do something about this and ruin the story line. Fuck._

You sighed in frustration as you stood and began walking to the library, hoping Akechi wouldn't interrogate you. Although, knowing him, he would definitely throw a question or two your way.

As you reached the second floor of the library, you had your story straight. You would tell him that some first year confessed his feelings for you and you rejected him because you would be going back home in March. _That would convince him, right? Bros before hoes._

Turning the corner that led to your table, you noticed the detective prince sitting alone. He was looking out the window lazily, resting his head against his fist. The light filtering through the window made him glow like an angel. His chestnut colored hair looked so soft and his eyes were a warm chocolate color instead of that heated maroon you were used to. You weren't sure why, but your heart began beating quickly and you felt your cheeks become pink. Your throat tightened when he turned his head and smiled at you brightly, watching as you approached your usual spot.

"I must admit, I didn't expect you to join me today." He chuckled as you took your seat.

"Awww Akechi. Did you miss me?" You cooed, earning a halfhearted glare in response.

"How did your little meet up go?" He questioned, making you groan internally.

"Ah. It was... awkward, to say the least." You mumbled as you took out your lunch and placed it in front of you.

"How so?" Akechi pried.

"It was a first year. He confessed his feelings to me and I rejected him." You groaned, trying to seem embarrassed. Akechi laughed, almost sounding like a giggle.

"I won't pry any further. I'm sure you'd rather eat than recall your lovely encounter." He chuckled. You subtly sighed in relief as you opened your lunch and practically started shoveling food into your mouth. "By the way." He began, making you look up from your meal. "Lunch was delicious like always." He hummed, smiling at you softly.

Butterflies erupted in your stomach and you ripped your eyes away from his, feeling a blush creep onto your face. "I'm glad you liked it." You said, earning a laugh in response.

You sighed as you leaned back in your chair, feeling satisfied after such a filling meal. You felt better, more energized as you put away the bento boxes.

"It's... strange." Akechi said out of no where, making you freeze and look up at him in confusion. "I used to spend my lunch times alone on the roof. Now, I spend my lunch with you. How did that even happen?" He questioned, sounding more like he was thinking out loud.

"That's entirely your fault you know. You could've just ignored me, but noooo. You had to be the Princely Detective and apologize for people talking badly about me." You responded as you got out your homework, a smile gracing your face.

"I suppose it is." He said quietly, staring out the window. "I didn't really think about how drastically the lunch hour had changed for me until yesterday, when you weren't around." 

"What made you think of the change?" You asked curiously.

"I don't know. It felt weird, like something was missing, then I realized it was because we weren't eating together like we usually did." He responded, furrowing his eyebrows. You just stared at him, feeling your heart slam against your ribcage. He chuckled, then shook his head, dismissing the conversation. "Ignore me. I'm just reflecting on the recent changes in my life." He laughed awkwardly.

"To be fair, that's how I felt when you didn't come to school a week or so ago." You said before you began doing your homework, feeling him stare a hole into your head.

**Afterschool**

"L/N-san." A deep voice said as you approached your locker. You glanced up to the person who spoke and made eye contact with Osaki Takuji.

"You're going to have to give me more time to think. Changing hearts is incredibly dangerous. I'm most likely going to be on my own, so I have to think about the potential consequences." You told him, already knowing what he wanted to hear. His smile faltered a bit, but you could tell that he was trying to keep it.

"May I ask how it's dangerous?" He asked, a curious look coloring his face. You hesitated, wondering if he'd actually believe you or not.

"Well, in the other world, there are monsters that you'd only see in your nightmares." You began, watching as his eyes widened. "All being capable of using some kind of element. Fire, electricity, ice, light. Some are strong enough to kill you in a single hit. I'm only so strong on my own. There's always the chance that I might not make it out alive." You explained, waiting to see if he believed you.

The look on his face was a mix of flustered and horrified. "You're joking, right? That's too crazy to be real." He asked. 

"You don't have to believe me, but you must understand that there are risks to what I do." You said, earning a nod in response.

"Of course. A reward as great as forcing a criminal to confess his crimes cannot come without its fair share of risks." He said back, looking conflicted. "If these monsters do exist, and are as powerful as you say they are, then you must need medicine in order to survive in that other world, right?" He said, catching on quickly. "If I get you some strong medication or bandages or something, would that help?"

 _That would definitely help, but is it enough for me to be able to take down a palace on my own?_ "That would definitely be helpful, however, I still don't know if this is something I can accomplish on my own. I need to talk to one of my friends and see if she'll help me." You responded. He nodded in understanding. "I'll let you know what she says on Monday."

Afterwards, you said your goodbyes and headed to Shujin, subconsciously playing with your new necklace. During your train ride to the school, you put a reminder in your phone, telling you to visit Takemi after you were done with work so you could get Kaylee and Brook a doctors note. You had no idea what you were going to say to Takemi in order to convince her to give you them.

**Evening**

As you exited your classroom, you made eye contact with Makoto as she rushed up the stairs. She quickly gestured for you to follow her, and continued her speed walk to the higher floor. You scrambled to catch up to her, nearly tripping over your own feet as you ran.

She led you to the door to the roof before she stopped and turned to you. You bent over and rested your hands against your knees as you gulped down air, trying to catch your breath.

"Mako-chan. What?" You asked, utterly confused.

"I... need your support." She said, not explaining any further. You just tilted your head and nodded at her, unsure of what was going on.

She opened the door, then stepped out onto the roof.

"Oh..." You heard a familiar voice say as you followed the Shujin student council president. You and Makoto walked up to a certain group of thieves who were all eyeing you suspiciously. 

_You've got to be kidding me._ You forgot that this happened today. Being sucked into another cutscene made you anxious. The glares of the people you called your friends made you shrink.

"This place is off limits, you know." Makoto said with a cold tone. Despite Makoto being the one talking, the thieves were only looking at you.

"...We'll get outta here once we're done chattin'." Ryuji responded lowly, lips tilting downwards into a frown. "Anyways, what does Miss Student Council President and the English Tutor want with us?" His words made your heart sting. You knew they didn't like Makoto, but you were on a first name basis with all of them. _Why are they being so cold to me?_

"The troublemaker, the center of gossip, and the infamous transfer student. Hmm, interesting combination." Makoto hummed, not giving you the chance to say anything. You heard Ann scoff before she sat up straight.

"Great way to start off a conversation..." Ann growled in response, already fed up with Makoto. As you glanced at them, you realized why they were acting so cold. _They must think I'm on Makoto's side. Or that I was the one who tipped her off. Oh no..._

"By the way..." Makoto began, ignoring Ann's quip. "It seems as though you got to know Mr. Kamoshida pretty well." She finished, making you shiver. She was looking directly at Ren as she spoke.

"Not really." Ren responded, sounding monotoned. 

"Yeah, y'know he's only been here a month or so." Ryuji said, defending Ren. You were getting frustrated that you weren't being given the chance to speak, but a part of you wasn't sure if you actually wanted to say anything. This was another moment you weren't supposed to be a part of.

"Hmm... I heard Mr. Kamoshida used a volleyball team member to spread the details of your past record." Makoto spoke, looking directly into Ren's eyes. "Don't you hate him? Mr. Kamoshida I mean."

Ren's eyes dropped to meet yours. You weren't sure what the subtle look on his face was. If you had to guess, it was a mix between anger and disbelief, but you couldn't be sure. Ren was good at hiding his emotions.

You just searched his eyes, hoping that he wouldn't be mad at you for being with Makoto. You felt awful that you had been dragged into this situation.

"What's all this about?" Ryuji snapped, leaning forwards in his chair. "My friend here's an upstanding guy."

"I don't mean to offend. Many students have been shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida." Makoto said, turning her head to glance at you. Just the mention of his name was enough to make your heartbeat quicken. "The rumors about that odd, calling card-esque posting aren't going away either." Ann and Ryuji glanced at each other before looking back at Makoto. You internally sighed at how obvious they were being. 

"I didn't expect someone like you would care about that tactless stuff, Niijima-senpai." Ann said, a mocking tone to her voice. They seemed to be ignoring you at this point.

"I dunno that it was tactless..." Ryuji mumbled, making you roll your eyes. "Anyways, we done here? We can't leave if you keep talkin' to us." Ryuji said, done with the conversation.

"At least try to understand my position. Being forced to deal with this horseplay..." Makoto snapped, glaring at the group. You wished the ground would open up and swallow you whole so you wouldn't have to deal with this any longer.

"Horseplay!?" Ann gasped, looking angry. 

"Ah yes, by the way... it's been decided that this place will be closed off due to the incident. I heard that some people are coming up here without permission, after all." Makoto hummed, making you scream internally. Ann's, Ren's, and Ryuji's eyes immediately snapped to you. You swallowed hard, feeling like you wanted to cry. "...I'm sorry to have interrupted you." She finished before she turned and began walking off, leaving you to struggle to figure out what to do.

The glares of the Phantom Thieves was too much. You knew that no matter what you said right now, they wouldn't believe you. They were too worked up. All you did was lower your gaze and follow Makoto out of the door. 

"I'm sorry about that..." Makoto mumbled as you reached the bottom floor. You didn't have the strength to look at her. "I know they're your friends, but I have a suspicion that they're the Phantom Thieves."

You finally looked up at her, doing your best to look her in the eyes. "The least you could've done was say that I wasn't involved with what you were up to, that I was just moral support, or something. Now they probably think that I'm not really their friend." You responded, watching as she flinched from your words.

"I'm so sorry N/N-chan." She breathed, looking defeated. "I didn't think of how this would effect you." Her voice shook a bit as she spoke. You just shook your head, just wanting to go home.

"Let's just go." You said softly, looking away from her and heading towards the station. Makoto silently followed you.

After waving goodbye to her at Shibuya station, you began your quick walk to your apartment. As you were walking, you felt someone brush against you slightly. Turning your head, you noticed a familiar looking tan peacoat being worn by a man who had probably just gotten off of work. 

You looked up at Akechi, nearly on the verge of tears. Akechi immediately frowned, eyebrows furrowing and gaze hardening.

"What happened?" He said lowly, making your skin crawl. You only shook your head, knowing that if you started talking about it, you'd start crying. You didn't realize how attached you had become to the Thieves until now, feeling like you could lose them if you weren't careful with your next action when it came to them.

As you walked up the stairs that led into your apartment complex, you felt Akechi stop walking with you. When you reached the door, you turned and glanced at him, noticing that he had stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at you with uncertainty in his eyes. You were silently hoping that he'd come in with you, although, you didn't want to be an emotional burden on him. You watched his adams apple bob up and down as he swallowed before he hesitantly followed you up the steps and to the elevator.

You dropped your bag as you entered your apartment, not bothering to be organized. After you got your shoes off, you walked into your kitchen and stared at the limited number of contents in your fridge. You would have to go to the store tomorrow. You heard Akechi sit down in a chair at your kitchen table and open his briefcase as you silently began working on dinner.

You stared at the ingredients you had laid out on the counter. Beef strips, carrots, bell pepper and leftover rice. You wracked your brain for a possible recipe idea, but you couldn't stop worrying over the fact that you may have just lost some friends.

Akechi audibly sighed, gaining your attention. You turned to look at him, noticing that he had his homework laid out on the table. He was looking at you like he was trying to figure out what was wrong. Finally, he stood, removed his peacoat and approached you, rolling up his dress shirt sleeves. You just stared at him in surprise.

"Well. What are we making?" He asked as he came to a stop beside you.

"I don't know..." You mumbled as you glanced back at the food, finally speaking to him.

"Tell me what happened." He said softly, no longer asking if you wanted to talk about it. The pity in his voice made you flinch. You slowly exhaled and took a step towards him, pressing your face against his chest and gripping handfuls of his shirt. You felt him freeze up, and gasp quietly. Your shoulders quivered, and your hands shook as you did your best not to cry.

Feeling his hands gently rest against your back was enough to make you whimper. You've lost friends before. You didn't want to lose any more. You wrapped your arms around his torso, once again grabbing handfuls of his shirt. He patiently waited until you were ready to talk.

"I'm scared that I just lost my friends." You croaked, squeezing Akechi a bit tighter. "I should've said something, but I clammed up. They looked so angry. Why didn't I say anything?" You squeaked, beginning to shake. Your breathing was becoming shaky and ragged as you began to break down. Your tears soaked into his shirt as one of his hands slowly made its way up and down your back, attempting to comfort you.

"I'm no expert when it comes to friendship, however I doubt that you lost them. You made a mistake. I'm sure they'll understand once you talk to them again." He hummed, continuing to rub your back. "For now, why don't you put those things away and I'll order some takeout."

"But-" You were quickly interrupted.

"I know we had pizza last night, but I think you should just relax and calm down for now. There's a tasty Italian place not far from here." You could hear his voice quiver slightly as he spoke, but he didn't stop delicately rubbing your back. "Does chicken fettuccini alfredo sound good? We could also get some bread. What do you think?" He asked, voice quickly becoming small. You really didn't want to let go yet, but he wasn't comfortable with this. 

You just nodded as you hesitantly pulled away from him. "Sorry." You breathed as you rubbed the wet spot on his shirt.

"Don't worry about it. Why don't you go change into something more comfortable and I'll order dinner." Akechi hummed. You nodded once more and walked off to your room. As you entered it, you could hear Akechi start talking with someone on the phone.

Once you had changed into your pjs, you walked back out, noticing Akechi sitting back at your kitchen table, working on his homework. You shuffled to your couch and laid down, turning on the tv. As you waited for your dinner to arrive, you looked at your phone, realizing that you had completely forgotten to stop by Takemi's clinic. _Fuck._ You'd have to do that tomorrow, as well as go grocery shopping and talk to Brook about taking on Shinji's palace. 

A soft knock on the door signaled that your food had arrived. You stood and got out some dishes as Akechi took the food out of the bag that they had arrived in. You stared at the plate of noodles and bread in front of you, not feeling hungry, but at the same time, your mouth was watering. It smelled amazing.

You spooled some noodles onto your fork and took a bite, nearly melting from the taste. It was creamy and soft. The small chunks of grilled chicken added a nice smoky flavor as you chewed.

"Well?" Akechi asked, wanting your opinion on the meal he had suggested.

"I love it. You have good taste." You mumbled before shoving more noodles and chicken into your mouth, savoring the taste. Akechi chuckled before he began eating as well. It didn't take long for you both to finish your meals.

"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" Akechi asked you as he stood and took your dishes to the sink, trying to make conversation.

"I have to stop by a doctors clinic to get medication and doctors notes for Brook and Kaylee, then I'm gunna go check on them. I also have to go grocery shopping. Do you want anything specific for breakfast, lunch, or dinner next week?" You asked him, feeling the exhaustion start to sink in. You turned in your seat to look at him.

"Breakfast? Dinner?" Akechi asked, not bothering to hide the look of surprise on his face.

"Yes." Was all you said, blinking heavily. You were ready for bed. Akechi stayed silent for a moment. You could practically see the gears turning in his head as he thought about your response, probably just as tired as you were.

"...May I request pancakes for breakfast?" He asked softly, eyes lighting up with excitement. You couldn't stop the smile that slid up your face.

"Sure. Anything else?" You giggled a bit. He just shook his head and continued washing the dishes. 

While he cleaned up, you took the leftovers and split them in half so you both could have some. Once he was finished, he packed up his stuff, ready to leave.

"I hope you can clear things up with your friends soon. I'm not sure if we'll see each other tomorrow, so I'll see you on Monday?" Akechi said as he walked towards the door.

"You know you're welcome to come over for dinner tomorrow if you'd like." You hummed in response.

"I'll think about it." He chuckled, a smile twitching at his lips. Although, you could see the hesitation in his eyes.

"Alright. Goodnight Akechi." You yawned, covering your mouth.

"Goodnight L/N." He responded softly before turning and walking to the elevator.

Once he was gone, you showered and got ready for bed. You felt a lot better than you did earlier, especially after you drowned your sorrows in a stream of mildly scalding water, but you were still a little nervous. You wanted nothing more than to apologize to the Thieves and tell them that it was just a misunderstanding, that you didn't agree with the way Makoto was handling the topic.

As you crawled into bed and curled up around the Morgana-like plush, you prayed to the false god that the Thieves would forgive you, or that they weren't even mad at you in the first place and you were just overthinking like you always were.

**May 8th. Sunday. Morning.**

You woke up to the sound of yowling. It sounded like a mix of your name and the word 'princess.' As you opened your eyes and began becoming more aware of the world around you, you realized that a high pitched voice was calling for you.

After taking a quick glance at your phone, realizing that you had slept way longer than you usually do, you got out of bed and trudged to your fire escape door. As you approached the large glass door, you noticed a certain black and white cat, waiting for you to let him in. _Why is Morgana here? Did Ren send him to keep an eye on me? Or does he just want to hang out today?_

You silently opened the door, then walked to your bathroom to begin your morning routine before beginning on breakfast.

"I don't have any fish right now." You mumbled to the cat who was staring at you expectantly. You could feel the dread sink into your bones once again as you looked at Morgana. Akechi had been a good distraction from your problem, but as you looked at the cat, you couldn't help but remember what had happened yesterday.

Morgana didn't respond, he just tilted his head, eyes piercing through you. You sighed as you got out some eggs, planning on making yourself a small meal. You weren't feeling hungry again, but you knew that you should eat before you run your errands. 

After cooking the last of your eggs, you placed a plate on the floor for Morgana and took your spot at your kitchen table.

Once you finished, you silently put the dishes in the sink then walked to your room to get dressed. When you walked out, you found Morgana sitting in your school bag, looking like he wanted to join you on your outing.

"I guess I can drop you off at Leblanc after I visit Takemi." You said softly, unable to stop the smile that twitched at your lips. Morgana didn't respond again, leaving you to wonder why he was being so quiet.

**Noon**

You and Morgana entered the market together. He wasn't bothering to try to hide himself. Morgana was leaning comfortably on your shoulder, looking around at all of the costumers and food.

After taking a basket, you both explored the grocery store together in order to get the things you needed. Morgana only offered little quips of the food you bought. Saying things like, "I don't like onions. They make me sick." And, "Mmm chicken."

As you walked passed the fish section of the butchery, Morgana immediately spoke up. "Y/N! Look! There's a sale on fish! I want some!" He practically squealed, excitedly bouncing up and down on your shoulder.

"You just ate. How are you already hungry again?" You mumbled as you glanced at the fresh fish behind the glass. Your eyes landed on the discounted sushi grade fish. "Okay maybe just a little." You said as you approached the butcher. He gave you an amused look as he noticed the kitty nearly drooling on your shoulder.

"How can I help you?" He chuckled, eyeing Morgana.

"Fatty tuna!" Morgana cried, words slurred from the saliva in his mouth.

"Hmm. Could I get a cut of the fatty tuna and..." You trailed off as you thought about what else you wanted. "A cut of salmon please." You finished, deciding that you'd just play it safe and get what you're used to.

"Coming right up!" The butcher responded with a smile.

"Yes! Thank you Princess!" Morgana chirped, eagerly awaiting the fish. You were excited to try making sushi. You've never made it before.

The butcher quickly gave you your order and you were off to pay for your items. You made Morgana hide in your bag while you went through the checkout line. You didn't want to get in trouble.

Once you were done, you quickly went home to put your stuff away. 

"Alright kitty, which one do you want?" You asked Morgana once you were inside your apartment. You squatted and held the fish out in front of him.

"This one. This one. This one!" He responded, quickly patting the package of fatty tuna with his paw. You cut him a small chuck of the fish so he could have a snack as you put away everything. "Thank you Princess!" Morgana squeaked as he chowed down.

When you were done, you prepared to head to Takemi's clinic and the possibility of running into Ren. You sighed as you sat at your kitchen table, feeling the sudden urge to never leave your apartment again, and glanced at Morgana, who was tilting his head in confusion.

"Is Ren mad at me?" You asked, frowning and slouching a bit. Before Morgana could respond, you groaned and continued talking. "Ugh. Why am I asking you?" You rested your upper body against your kitchen table as you spoke.

"Oh Princess..." He mumbled, giving you a look filled with pity as your eyes began watering.

After taking a deep breath and steeling your nerves, you stood up and prepared to leave once again. Morgana quickly hopped into your bag and looked up at you expectantly, ready to head to your next destination.

**Afternoon**

Takemi was sitting behind the check in counter like usual when you walked in. She looked up at you and raised an eyebrow, probably wondering what you were doing back in her clinic so soon. You just gave her an awkward smile and she gestured for you to follow her into the examination room.

"How can I help you today, L/N-chan?" Takemi asked as you sat down in the chair in front of her.

"I was wondering if I could get two doctors notes from you." You responded, nearly cringing when she gave you a suspicious look. "Before you ask, they aren't for me."

"Should I bother asking why?" She questioned.

"My friends both took mental health days and I don't want them to get in trouble for skipping school like that." You lied, chuckling awkwardly.

"Mental health days?" Takemi definitely didn't believe you.

"Long story short. They're both American transfer students like I am, however, they don't know Japanese like I do, so it's been pretty rough for them." You explained, realizing that their lives were probably pretty stressful as well.

"Hmm." Takemi just hummed and stared at you for a moment. "Alright. I'll give you some doctors notes to excuse your friends, but I'd like you to run an errand for me first." She said as she pushed herself backwards and opened a drawer in her desk, pulling out a small white bag. "This is some medication I'm supposed to deliver to a bedridden patient here in Yongen-Jaya. All you have to do is knock on her door and tell her you're my assistant and leave the medicine with her. While you're out, I'll write the notes for you." She finished, moving closer to you and handing you the bag.

After she explained how to get to the patients apartment, you got up and left the clinic with Morgana. The apartment was about a 20 minute walk from Takemi's clinic. You wished you had brought your headphones so you could listen to music while you walked.

Once you reached the apartment, you knocked just like you were told to. An older man opened the door and gave you a confused look.

"Um hello. I'm Doctor Takemi's assistant. I'm here to drop off some medication." You explained, holding up the bag. Recognition lit up his eyes as he took it from you.

"Ah yes. Thank you very much for delivering this. My wife just ran out." He chuckled before wishing you a safe walk back to the clinic and closing the door.

"All that walking just for that?" Morgana said, popping out of your bag and perching the upper half of his body on your shoulder like he does with Ren. 20 minutes later and you were back in Takemi's clinic, a little out of breath from all the walking.

"Perfect. Here you go." Takemi said from her spot behind the counter, sliding you the doctors notes.

"Thank you so much!" You chirped, earning a smile and a nod in response.

Now came the part you were dreading. You wanted to drop off Morgana at Leblanc before you went to talk to Brook and Kaylee. You weren't sure if you hoped Ren would be there, or if he was out in the city. All you could do was pray that it would go well.

The bell above Leblanc chimed as you walked in. Sojiro looked up at you and took notice of the kitty happily sitting on your shoulder.

"So that's where he went." The old man chuckled. "Ren isn't here, so just leave him upstairs." Sojiro said, making you sigh in relief. Despite wanting to apologize and explain what had happened so badly, you were scared about it. You knew Ren was a trusting and logical guy, not to mention that he's too kind for his own good, but that was a serious moment. In the game, that's the moment when Makoto becomes the enemy, so you couldn't help but worry that that's how they saw you too.

As you reached the top of the steps, Morgana groaned.

"But I wanna hang out longer." He whined, making you smile softly. _At least Morgana still likes me._

"Alright. Time to get out. The manager of the girls dorms checks bags whenever a visitor enters and I'd rather not get in trouble for trying to sneak you in." You lied as you placed your bag on the table by the stairs. You couldn't think of a better explanation as to why he couldn't come with you. Morgana protested and struggled as you pulled him out of your bag. Once you set him on the table, he pouted.

"Hmph!" He huffed, lowering his head and flattening his ears against his head.

"Sorry Morgana-chan." You cooed, rubbing his soft kitty face. You giggled softly as he closed his eyes and leaned into your hands. "I'll see you later."

Finally, you were on your way to finish your last, and most difficult errand of the day.

**Evening**

You knocked softly against the door to Kaylee's dorm room. Brook had texted you the directions and dorm room numbers as you were riding the train to the school.

To your surprise, Kaylee was the one who opened the door, not looking nearly as dead as she did on Friday. She gave you a bright smile before gesturing you to come inside.

"How are you feeling?" You asked her as she shut the door behind you. You spotted Brook sitting in a chair close to a small TV.

"A lot better to be honest. Some water, a good meal, and an amazing nights sleep was all I needed." Kaylee chirped in response, making you raise an eyebrow.

"You aren't having any nightmares?" You questioned, as she led you to a couch by Brook.

"No. I really don't remember anything that happened. I must've been unconscious the entire time." Kaylee explained to you as she took a seat.

"I was questioning her earlier too." Brook said. You nodded in response, surprised that she didn't seem at all traumatized.

"Well, I'm glad. You look at lot better as well." You told Kaylee, earning a proud smile in response. "Here." You said as you reached into your bag and handed the girls their doctors notes.

"Thank you!" Kaylee hummed, scanning the note, only to realize it's in Japanese. "Uh. What does it say?" She asked awkwardly. 

"Both of them say that you were out sick. Basically, you got sick first and while Brook cared for you, she got sick as well." You explained to them.

"Thanks." Brook responded with a smile, looking genuinely relieved that you had gotten them out of trouble.

"Okay... so..." You began slowly, trying to come up with a way to ask Brook to help you. "Osaki Takuji, the student council president at Ichiryu has figured out I'm the wolf." They immediately flinched at your words. "Apparently, he saw us leaving the Metaverse on Friday. He watched us materialize out of thin air." 

"Shit..." Brook mumbled, looking nervous.

"What does this mean?" Kaylee asked, looking worried.

"Well, it seems like he only has good intentions. He asked me to change someone's heart. He also said that he'd help out in any way he can." You explained, watching them relax a bit.

"Are you going to do it?" Brook questioned, making you nod.

"I don't think I have a choice. I'm sure you've both heard of Kato Shinji?" You wondered, earning nods from both of them in response. "Well, in Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, that name is never mentioned, however, I've been hearing it a lot recently."

"So that means, if you don't change his heart, then the Phantom Thieves will?" Brook asked, catching you by surprise. You never realized how quick-witted she was.

"Yup. If that happens, it'll throw the whole story off track." You said, only to sigh afterwards. "The only problem is, is that Shinji has a palace and I'm not strong enough to take it on alone. At least not at the moment." You looked up at Brook as you spoke. She frowned, seeming to get what you were saying.

"You want me to join you?" She assumed. You just nodded, feeling your heart slam against your ribcage. "You're sure you can't do this alone?" She questioned. 

"I suppose I could if I trained hard enough." You mumbled, running your fingers along the chain of your new necklace. "But still, it's dangerous for me to go alone."

"Akechi-kun goes alone, doesn't he?" Kaylee asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, but there's a huge gap in strength between us. He's been a persona user for two, maybe three years." You clarified, earning a nod from her in response.

"I... I really don't know Y/N. I'm only going to take on Callie's palace because she's my sister. I don't want to get mixed up further into the story. It seems like you're already pretty deep." Brook hesitated. You sighed heavily through your nose, having expected that response.

"There's nothing I can do to convince you?" You asked, a desperate tone to your voice. You really didn't want to go in alone. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry Y/N, but the only part of the plot I'll play into is changing Callie's heart. Why don't you ask Akechi-san? You might as well since you're becoming a part of the story anyways, plus he seems to like you." Brook suggested, making you scream internally. While she had a point, you weren't about to ask for help from Akechi. You weren't sure if you could fully trust him yet.

"Yeah. What's that about? How are you already so deep into the story?" Kaylee asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "Weren't you the one who said to stay out of the storyline?" You gave an exasperated chuckle at her questions.

"I was, but it seems like this world had other plans for me. Well, for all of us. You're all part of the story now as well. We were all forced to be a part of it. Although, it seems like the greater forces of this world are favoring me." You groaned, removing the necklace from its hiding place under your shirt. Both of them scooted closer to you to get a look. "I was visited by Igor again after we saved Kaylee. He explained that those personae were there because he had sent them, as a way to make up for my broken wildcard ability. This necklace basically holds them for me. I can summon them in the metaverse." You explained to them.

"So that's why they showed up. I had been wondering why two shadows appeared out of no where to help us." Brook said, sounding like you had piqued her interest.

"Wildcard?" Kaylee asked, looking a bit bashful. "Sorry. I know you explained all of this to us, but it's all kind of jumbled in my mind at the moment."

"A wildcard is someone who can wield multiple personae. Ren and Akechi are both wildcards, and apparently, I had been chosen as one as well." You sighed, still wondering why you had been picked.

"How is your ability broken?" Brook asked.

"Igor said that it was most likely because I'm from a different world. My soul isn't compatible with the beings of this world, so I'm unable to form contracts with them like I should be able to." You told her, earning a nod in response.

"This is all so complicated. I thought that maybe this could be fun, ya know? Studying abroad was a big dream of mine, but this is just too much." Kaylee mumbled, laying down on the couch and laying her legs on top of yours.

"I have a feeling that this is just going to get worse as time goes on." Brook responded. You nodded your head, agreeing with her.

"Have you guys thought about going back to California?" Kaylee asked, sitting up a bit and looking hopeful.

"If you want to see if your parents are here, then I would suggest not going. I've already tried to call mine and look them up, but I didn't find anything. It's just us." You sighed, watching a whirlwind of emotions cross over her face.

"Has Igor said anything else about us possibly going home?" Brook questioned. You just shook your head, earning a disappointed look in response.

"He rarely ever lets me speak whenever we meet." You grumbled, angry that he never lets you ask questions. Before the three of you could talk any more, a knock came from the door. Kaylee groaned as she stood and walked over, opening the door to reveal the one and only Callie.

Your eyes immediately locked with hers, making you cringe. Before she had the chance to say anything, you stood from your seat and grabbed your bag. "Well, I should get going. I have to start on dinner." You said, not wanting to be around the older Bonin sister any longer than you had to.

"Aww. Run away little girl." Callie taunted, making your blood boil.

"Ha! How cute! You think I'm leaving because of you. I'm only leaving because I promised I'd make Akechi dinner again." You responded, relishing in the redness that filled her cheeks. You knew you shouldn't have said that because you were definitely leaving because of her, but you were tired of her bullshit. You were fairly sure that she was too afraid to tell Akechi that you knew who he really was. You didn't have to be a psychic to tell that Akechi didn't like Callie. She probably knew that there was a chance that he'd go after her if he found out that she knows he's the one behind the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns.

"What happened to 'don't get involved with the story?'" She seethed. If looks could kill, you'd be 6 feet under right now. You gave a humorous scoff before you started speaking.

"If only you knew." You cackled as you walked out the door, waving to the other girls as you left.

As you made your way into the first of three mildly crowded trains you'd need to take to get home, you messaged the detective you had just been talking about.

**Goro Akechi**

**6:00 P.M.**

Dinner? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** As much as I would love to eat dinner with you, I must pass. I've been invited to eat dinner with some of the other detectives and prosecutors, so I can't join you tonight.

What a shame. I bought fresh salmon and fatty tuna at the market today. I suppose I'll just have to eat the sushi I was planning on making by myself. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:**...Perhaps I could stop by for a piece or two on my way home.

I'll make sure to save you some <3 **:Y/N**

You couldn't help but smile at Akechi's message. Knowing him, you'd probably have to save him more than just a few pieces.

Once you got home, you slowly prepared to make the sushi, knowing that Akechi wouldn't be coming over for at least another hour or two. As the rice was cooking, you did your homework and studied for the exams that started on Wednesday. By the time the rice had cooled down enough for you to work with, you had become confident in your knowledge of the subjects you would be tested on. You also planned on studying for the next few days as well, just to make sure that you really knew everything. 

While you worked on making the salmon sushi rolls, you boiled a small pot of miso soup since Akechi would most likely be eating the majority of the fish. An hour had passed by the time you finished making everything. Before you could sit down, you heard a knock at your door, announcing the arrival of a certain underfed detective. Opening the door, you noticed that he looked absolutely exhausted.

"Long day?" You asked as he entered. He just hummed in response. "Would you like to take your food to go? I also made miso soup and there's some extra rice if you'd like some."

"It's fine. I'll eat here." He sighed as he sat at his usual spot. 

"How hungry are you?" You asked as you began making his plate.

"Very. Truth be told, I didn't eat much while out with my colleagues. They only ordered appetizers and beer." He sighed in response. _No wonder why he looks exhausted. That must've been mentally draining._ You gave him the rest of the fish and soup, as well as a large portion of rice.

He mumbled a soft 'thanks' before he began eating. You both ate in silence. The only sound that filled your little apartment was the sound of you both chewing and the buzz of the TV which was showing an episode of some kind of documentary.

Akechi sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking much better after having a full meal.

"Feel better?" You giggled before taking a sip of water.

"Yes I do! That's just what I needed." He chuckled in response. "Are you ready for the exams this week?" He asked, finally making conversation now that he wasn't hangry.

"Yes actually. I was studying while I was waiting for the rice to cook." You said. "I feel confident enough that I'll get an A, but I want to do a little more studying before they start."

"Would you be interested in making a bet? Loser has to take the winner out to dinner." Akechi asked, a small smirk curling up his cheeks.

"How about, loser has to make the winner dinner?" You smiled in response, watching his smile falter a bit. "Recipes exist for a reason. You're fully capable of following one with no problems."

"Fine. Whoever gets the lowest all around exam score loses." Akechi said, a competitive look making its way into his eyes. You weren't sure why this excited you so much, but your heart was hammering in your chest as you kept eye contact with him.

"Deal." You agreed, reaching your hand out to shake his. He firmly gripped your hand and shook it, solidifying the bet. "You should start looking for recipes you're interested in making for me because I don't plan on losing to you." You suggested, taking note of the way his smirk returned.

"It's cute that you'd think I'd go easy on you. When I win, I'd like grilled shrimp, pasta, and perhaps some kind of soup." He taunted back, making you laugh a bit.

"I would be offended if you did go easy on me." You quipped, earning a chuckle in response.

After he helped you with the dishes, you said your goodbyes, then he left. You didn't consider yourself a very competitive person. You just did the best that you could. However, you were fully prepared to go head to head with the incredible Ace Detective Prince. You wanted to beat him with everything you had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the major slow burn lmao. I wanted to take the relationship slowly and make it natural, but goddamn this is an Akechi x reader book hhhhh. My bad y'all.
> 
> Ngl. I wasn't planning for angst in this chapter. It was supposed to be mildly chill, but then I looked to see what happened on May 7th and 8th and I couldn't resist hhhh
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	22. The Farm of Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking on a palace by yourself wasn't something you could do yet, even with the help of two new personae, but mr. student council president is doing his best to help you with whatever you need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guys tell that I like miso soup? It's literally one of my favorite foods so obviously reader is going to eat it like everyday ;;
> 
> I'm sorry this was late and if the chapter seemed rushed ahdskjfd. Stardew valley has been eating away at my free time and I've been finding it hard to continue cuz all I wanna do is farm :')

**May 9th. Monday. Morning.**

You rolled over to turn off your alarm as it blared through your room, announcing that it was time to wake up. As you made your way to your bathroom, you thought about how you were going to take on Shinji's palace alone. You understood why Brook didn't want to get sucked into the story, but it's a little too late for that, seeing as how she already has a persona. For now, you'd focus on getting further into Shinji's palace and finding another persona that you could use, preferably something good at using magic or a tank.

For lunch, you were planning on making popcorn chicken bites using a similar recipe to the one your mother used when making them. She also used to make homemade french fries along with the meal. However, you didn't have enough time to make the fries the way you wanted to, so you settled on slicing up some carrots and making rice for the sides.

Since Akechi had spent quite a bit of time with you these past few days, you figured you'd give him a day or two to relax before you invited him over for breakfast or dinner again. You told him you'd make him pancakes for breakfast some time this week, so you'd have to invite him over again eventually. You wondered if he'd help you make them.

As you giggled at the thought of Akechi making pancakes, you remembered your deal from last night. _I can't believe he agreed to cook for me if he lost. He really thinks he's going to win, doesn't he?_ You were going to beat him down and reign superior like the Queen you were.

After eating a breakfast consisting of miso soup, eggs and mini sausages, you got ready to leave your apartment. Once you received your daily text from Akechi, saying that he was waiting in his usual spot for you, you headed out.

"Good morning." Akechi hummed as you approached him, a soft smile lighting up his features.

"Good morning Akechi." You responded, smiling up at him in return.

While you were waiting at the station with the detective, you heard a familiar female voice speak fairly close to you. 

"Morning... Ungh..." Ann groaned to who you assumed was Ren.

"You have allergies?" Ren asked her. She sounded congested.

The feeling of being watched raked across your body. Their voices had become nothing more than hushed whispers, leaving you unable to listen to their conversation. Your mind immediately raced with ideas of what they could be talking about. You could only assume that it had something to do about you. This wasn't something you wanted to go through again. Without realizing it, you had reached up and grabbed Akechi's coat sleeve with a trembling hand, trying to find some form of comfort to keep yourself from breaking down.

Akechi's head snapped down to you before he looked around and spotted the reason you were upset. You heard him exhale heavily before he reached up and subtly placed his hand ever so gently onto your back.

"Come on." He said quietly before leading you away from the thieving duo. You both stopped at the far right end of the waiting platform.

"Thanks." Your voice quivered. You were looking at the ground, unable to look up at him.

"I must admit, when you said you were having trouble with your friends, I didn't expect it to be them. You seemed so close with all of them." Akechi noted, glancing back to where Ren and Ann had been talking.

"I thought so too." You breathed. You sighed in relief as your subway showed up. You didn't want to talk about this anymore.

You couldn't help but notice how close Akechi walked to you as you made your way to school. Your heart raced at the thought of how much effort he was putting into comforting you while in public. In other peoples eyes, it wouldn't seem like much, but when it comes to Akechi, you could tell that he was doing a lot.

Upon entering the school, you immediately ran into Osaki Takuji, who was looking down at you expectantly. You just looked up at him awkwardly, seeing the hopeful look in his eyes.

"Could we possibly talk during lunch today?" He asked you. You could hear Callie make a weird noise as she watched the student council president single you out. You assumed she was laughing because she really believed that you had gotten a love note.

"Sure. I'll wait for you outside the classroom." You responded, earning a satisfied nod in return before he turned and walked off.

"You know Takuji-kun isn't a first year, right?" Akechi chuckled, looking over at you as you both made your ways to the cafeteria. "He's in our class." You rolled your eyes at his quip.

"He isn't the one who confessed dummy." You giggled and nudged him with your elbow.

"Do you know what he wants to talk about?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Nope. If I had to guess, it's going to be something about the exams or maybe he'll confess his undying love to me. Who knows." You offered, knowing full well what he wanted.

"Will you be joining me for lunch later? Or are you going to spend it with him?" Akechi questioned. _Is he jealous?_

"I don't know. I'll try to join you, but I can't make any promises." You sighed, earning a nod in response.

**Lunch**

Once you stepped out of the classroom, you took out Akechi's lunch from your bag and sneakily handed it to him as he exited, hoping that no one saw. He lingered beside you for a moment before heading towards the library by himself.

"Shall we go somewhere more private?" Takuji asked as he walked out of the classroom. You nodded and let him lead you to the roof. Once you reached the table you both had sat at on Friday, you sat and prepared to tell him what you would be doing. "Well...?" He breathed.

"Well, I couldn't convince my friend to join me..." Takuji immediately clenched his jaw, looking disappointed, however you didn't let him speak. "But I'll still change Shinji-sans heart. It'll just take me a little longer since I'll be alone, but I'll get it done."

Takuji looked conflicted. His eyes lit up in joy as you agreed to take on his request, but he was frowning slightly, probably worried for your health.

"How can I help?" He questioned, making you look down as you thought. _I'm probably about to sound crazy._

"I need you to buy me water and lemonade from the vending machines in Yongen-Jaya, Aoyama-Itchome, and anywhere else you can find the two drinks." You explained, earning a bewildered look in response. You weren't 100% sure if you were correct, but you remembered that some vending machines in Tokyo sold water of rebirth and arginade which were SP restoring items. You weren't sure what the exact real world item's were, but those were your best guesses.

"Uhh... Okay..." He mumbled, raising an eyebrow. "Could I get an explanation why? Or... am I just going to have to trust you?"

"They'll help me, I promise." You laughed softly. He just smiled, keeping an eyebrow raised.

"Well, alright I suppose. I'll start hunting down the drinks after school. Do you know when you'll start working towards changing his heart?" He asked, tilting his head a bit.

"I've already started. I'll most likely be heading back in today." You told him.

"Alright. Please be careful. I'd rather not hear that you've gone missing." He chuckled awkwardly, looking worried.

"I will." You said firmly, nodding at him.

"Okay, I'm sure you'd rather join your boyfriend for lunch than sit here and explain everything to me." Takuji started, making you choke on your saliva at the mention of Akechi being your boyfriend. _No-_ "So we can split up for now. Here, give me your number and I'll let you know once I have the drinks for you." He said, handing you his phone. You shakily typed in your number before handing him back his phone. "I'll see you later."

You just nodded dumbly as he walked away. You couldn't stop your heart from beating wildly in your chest at the thought of Akechi being your boyfriend. You liked him as a friend. You didn't want to possibly ruin your friendship by dating him.

You finally managed to calm your frantically beating heart as you entered the library and headed towards Akechi. As you approached the table, he turned his head and grinned at you. You smiled back at him before your eyes fell to his lunch box which was in front of him. It looked untouched.

"Have you eaten yet?" You asked, still staring at his wrapped up bento box.

"Not yet. I waited for you." Akechi responded, still smiling at you. You weren't sure why your heart began hammering in your chest again.

"Oh- Well- Why?" You stuttered, struggling to get your lunch out of your bag.

"It's not the same without you." He said nonchalantly as he began unwrapping his lunch, immediately causing a blush to spread across your cheeks. 

"I- I see." You mumbled, unsure of what else to say. After he had opened his lunch box, he waited for you to explain lunch like you normally do. "Today's lunch is popcorn chicken with rice and carrot sticks." You said. 

Akechi gave you a bright smile which caused his eyes to nearly close completely and pearly white teeth to show themselves to you. He wasted no time picking up a piece of chicken and sticking it in his mouth.

"Mmm." He hummed as he chewed. "The breading is crispy and the chicken is juicy. The subtle amount of heat is perfect. Just enough to make your tongue tingle." 

"I'm glad you like it." You giggled, not realizing how much you had missed his little remarks about your meals.

After eating, you didn't hesitate to get out your flashcards and study for the upcoming exams, showing the boy in front of you that you weren't messing around. Akechi followed your lead and opened one of his textbooks, getting to work as well.

You both sat quietly as you filled your brain with info.

**Afterschool**

You and Takuji both walked to your lockers together as your 8th period study hall began, whispering about your plan to take on Shinji after you were done with work.

"I'll meet you at Shibuya station at around 6:00 p.m. with as much water and lemonade as I can find during the next hour or so. Does that sound alright?" Takuji asked quietly.

"That sounds great. If you arrive and I'm not there, text me. If your message doesn't send, then I've already gone into the other world." You told him, earning a nod in response. "Oh. Also, try to be discreet about our meeting. Akechi lives in Shibuya, so there's a chance you might run into him while you're waiting for me. We don't need him being more suspicious than he already is."

"Of course." Takuji chuckled in response. "Well, I have a couple of student council things to do before I head out, so I'll see you soon."

"See you then." You hummed and nodded before walking out of the school building and towards the station.

As you entered your classroom at Shujin, one of the English teachers walked in and dropped a stack of papers on your desk, expecting you to grade them. You groaned the moment she left and stared at the papers, mildly surprised that you hadn't been asked to create a study guide for the big exams coming up.

**Evening**

As you were exiting your classroom, someone bumped into you roughly, causing you to drop the stack of papers that wouldn't fit into your bag.

"I'm so sorry-" Your voice stopped abruptly as your eyes locked with onyx eyes. You've seen the look Ren was giving you before from other people, but never from him. He was giving you a calculated look. It wasn't a glare, but you could see the reservation behind his glasses. He looked like he wanted to say something.

"My bad senpai." He responded, reaching down and helping you pick up the papers. You couldn't stop your hands from shaking as you took the papers from him, feeling like the tension between you two could be cut with a knife. You wondered what he was still doing at school so late.

"Th-thanks." You stuttered, unable to keep yourself calm in this situation.

"Yo Ren. Hurry up man." Ryuji said as he walked up the stairs. "Oh..." You could feel your chest tighten at the near disappointed tone to his voice. "Hey Y/N." 

"Hello." You breathed, doing your best to keep the tears from spilling down your cheeks.

"See ya." Ren hummed, still looking like there was more he wanted to say. You just opened and closed your mouth multiple times, trying to fish for something to say in response, but your mind was only pulling up blanks. By the time you came up with something you wanted to say, the two boys were already out of sight.

"Damn it." You hissed through your teeth, knowing that you could've explained that you weren't the one that told Makoto about their meetings on the roof. You were angry at yourself for panicking, especially at such a critical moment.

With a heavy sigh, you began walking to the stairs that led to the lower floor and the front exit of the school building. While you walked to the station, you did your best to calm yourself down. _I'll get another moment to explain that I'm actually their friend. Right? For now, I need to focus on getting through Shinji's palace._

As you hopped off the subway at Shibuya station, your eyes locked with Takuji's. He was waiting for you by the escalators. He gave you a bright smile and held up a bag full of the beverages you had asked for.

"I hope this is enough." Takuji said as you approached him, holding the bag out for you to take. You almost dropped it due to how heavy it was. "I got as many as I could." There had to be at least a dozen bottles in the bag.

"This is perfect. Thank you Takuji." You beamed.

"May I ask how long you'll be... you know..." He asked, not finishing his sentence. 

"How long I'll be in 'there?'" You asked, doing finger quotes. He nodded in response. "Maybe two or three hours? It depends I suppose."

"Well, alright. Please text me when you get out so I know you didn't die in there." He chuckled nervously.

"Will do. Thanks again. These will be a big help." You said, glad that you didn't have to hunt for these items yourself. "See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye for now." He responded before walking closer to the train. 

After you dropped off about half of the drinks at your apartment because they were too heavy for you to carry, you took a cab to the location of Shinji's palace, and entered the Metaverse.

The farm didn't smell nearly as bad as it did the last time you had gone in. You didn't feel the need to gag every time you took a breath.

As you silently made your way through the palace, you did your best to take on every shadow you saw. They were a bit of a challenge since you were on your own, but you managed to beat them all by only using Artemis.

Most of the corridors you were forced to go through in order to progress were bare, only having one or two places to hide so you could ambush the shadows. Nearly all of the hallways had at least one shadow patrolling. 

Finally, you made your way into the first important looking room. In the center was a straight path to the door on the opposite side of the room. To both sides were cattle that were much larger than normal and workers. For a moment, you watched as the truck sized cattle bounced up to the workers in order to get milked, almost looking excited. However, after all of their milk had been taken, their bodies shrunk to the size of a new born calf and became skinny, like they hadn't eaten properly in weeks.

"Milk them dry! Take it all! They're happy to give everything they've got!" A loud voice laughed through the speakers mounted on the walls. The voice was deep and gravelly.

 _Are the cows the customers? Is Shinji taking all of their money?_ You wondered as you glanced around. _I should probably look more into his clothing brand._ You assumed that everything he sold had nearly impossibly high prices.

After taking one final look around, you dashed towards the door on the opposite side of the room. Before you could even get half way, the world around you slowed and became grey. You watched as a blue, see through version of yourself continued running forwards, only to be pounced on by one of those massive yellow chimera shadows. It was hiding behind one of the cows, waiting for you to get close enough to ambush you. Even though it was just a hologram of sorts, you could still hear the sound of your bones snapping under the weight of the giant creature.

"Shit." You hissed as you skidded to a halt. Just like in the vision, the creature jumped out of its hiding place and scrambled towards you, realizing that it had been discovered. You jumped to the right in order to avoid being body slammed. "Artemis!" You summoned, pointing a finger at the shadow and commanding her to use Kouha.

The shadow screeched before it casted Maeiha, a curse skill. You squeaked as you dodged out of the way, nearly losing your balance. Before you could gain your composure, the chimera casted the skill once more and hit you dead on. 

You cried out as you slid across the floor and rolled to a stop. You tried to stand, but it hit your weak spot, leaving you vulnerable. All you could do was grab onto your necklace and call for Archangel, hoping that he could protect you until you got your bearings. 

The sword wielding angel appeared before you and took a Skull Cracker from the mini boss. Archangel held the beast in place before throwing it to the side.

Finally, you were back on your feet, ready to continue the fight. Archangel glanced back at you, seeming to be waiting for something. _Wait. Is he like a party member now? Shouldn't he have gone back into the necklace like Artemis retreats back into my mask after every turn? I thought Agathion and Archangel showing up back in Callie's palace like that was a one time thing because Igor sent them. If that's really the case, then I should be able to summon Agathion as well._

You gripped the necklace once again and called for the child-like persona, watching in amazement as it appeared beside Archangel.

"Hell yeah." You breathed. "Agathion, keep us healed. I'll keep it distracted. Archangel, keep casting Hama until it hits." You commanded, earning nods in response. You called Artemis and told her to cast Sukukaja to raise your speed so that you could keep the chimera's attention and be able to swiftly dodge out of the way of attacks. You prayed that Archangel would be able to hit the one hit kill move quickly.

You gracefully hopped and leaped your way around the beast and its attacks, occasionally stabbing it with your weapon or firing an arrow at it. It took a bit before Hama actually connected and finished your opponent. This fight wasn't nearly as difficult as your last one, but you were feeling drained. Despite being their own entities, the personae still used your SP in order to cast skills.

Taking a quick look around, you noticed that none of the employees nor the cattle were paying any attention to you three. 

"So I don't have to summon you every battle if I want to use you?" You wondered out loud as you took one of the waters of rebirth from your bag and chugged to regain SP.

"We will follow you until you either leave the Metaverse, recall us, or we die." Archangel clarified for you, making you nod. _Well alrighty then. I wonder what else this necklace can do._

After finishing your drink, you gestured for the personae to follow you through the palace. With the help of a healer and another attacker, you were able to finish off shadows much faster. However, this meant that you had to take breaks much more often. By the time you made it to the next saferoom, you were on the verge of collapsing. You slid into one of the chairs and sighed, knowing that you wouldn't be able to go any further today.

While being able to use multiple personae like this was incredibly useful, you'd have to do a lot of training at the gym if you wanted to keep going like this. It would take forever to get through Shinji's palace at this rate, not to mention that beating his shadow in a fight would be nearly impossible.

You decided that for now, you'd go back home and rest so you wouldn't be exhausted during school tomorrow. Once you recalled your personae, you teleported to the entrance and exited the Metaverse.

On your way home, you kept an eye out for any gyms that you could train at. You knew that there was a decent one on Central street here in Shibuya, but you didn't want to use that one until you had talked with the Phantom Thieves. You also texted Takuji, letting him know that you had made it out alive. He immediately responded, surprising you a bit. _He must've been worried._

As you trudged up the steps to your apartment complex, you began unbuttoning your peacoat, ready to strip and take a long, hot bath. The moment you entered your apartment, you placed your coat on the coat hanger and slithered to your bathroom. 

For dinner, you reheated last nights leftovers, not having the energy to make anything more. When you were done eating, you did your best to start on the papers you had been given to grade, before ultimately giving up and heading to bed early after only managing to grade two.

**May 10th. Tuesday. Morning.**

After an extra long nights rest, you felt reinvigorated. You somehow even managed to wake up about half an hour before your alarm went off. Once you had brushed your teeth, you spent the extra time you had studying, knowing that you'd have to use everything you had when it came to beating Akechi.

When you had finished eating breakfast and making lunch, you threw on your shoes and walked out to meet Akechi. As your eyes locked with his, you noticed that he looked especially tired today. No amount of concealer could hide the bags under his eyes.

"Good morning." The brunet detective chirped a little too enthusiastically.

"Are you okay?" You asked, realizing that his outfit was a little wrinkled as well.

"Ah. Yes. Fine. Shall we go?" His answer only made you frown. Noticing that you weren't convinced by his answer, he sighed and let his shoulders droop a bit. "I had to work very late last night. I didn't get home until around midnight. Not to mention that I also had to study when I got home and in my exhaustion, I forgot to put my clothes in the washing machine before I went to bed, meaning I didn't have time to iron the wrinkles out of my coat and pants before school." He mumbled, losing his overbearing princely persona. He was talking to you normally once again. 

Before you could respond, a soft gurgling sound came from the man in front of you. Akechi's eyes widened and he used his free hand to cover his face as his cheeks turned a soft pink.

"I... also may have forgotten to eat dinner... and breakfast..." He said softly, voice muffled by his hand. 

Without saying anything, you turned around and walked back up the steps of your apartment complex. Akechi stuttered out a few 'wait's' and 'what's' before scrambling to follow you into the building. The moment you got inside, you set down your bag, got out some bread, ham, cheese and an egg. 

"There's an ironing board in the bathroom." You said, not bothering to turn around to speak to him. He didn't respond, but the sound of the bathroom door shutting almost immediately after you said that told you that he had heard you loud and clear.

By the time you had whipped up a quick breakfast for the detective, he had left your bathroom looking pleased. You noticed that his outfit was now wrinkle free when you turned around.

"Here. You can eat it on the way." You said, handing him the sandwich that you had put in a bag. He quickly snatched it from you, nearly eating the entire thing in one bite. "Slow down or you'll choke." You scolded, earning an innocent look in response. You couldn't stop the smile that twitched at your lips as you looked at him. He reminded you of a chipmunk with the way his cheeks were filled with food. He tilted his head a bit, making you assume that he wanted to know why you were smiling. "Don't worry about it." You giggled, covering your mouth with your hand as you entered the elevator.

You could feel him stare at you for a moment longer before he went back to eating. By the time you exited the building, he had finished his meal.

"Delicious as always." He hummed as he threw away the plastic bag in a trashcan on the sidewalk. 

"I know." You quipped, earning a soft chuckle in response. "I was thinking that since exams start tomorrow, why don't you come over for breakfast? I did promise to make you pancakes." Akechi's face visibly brightened at your offer.

"That sounds wonderful!" He chirped, giving you a closed eyed smile. "Although, I can't help but wonder if you'll spike the food with something." He teased, making you roll your eyes.

"Are you insinuating that I'm going to cheat in order to win our bet?" You responded, doing your best to glare at him, but failing due to being unable to hide your smile. "I'm honestly offended that you think so low of me."

Akechi let out a giggle before abruptly stopping his laugh and giving more of a soft chuckle instead. You rolled your eyes once more at his attempt to be princely in public.

**Lunch**

"L/N!" Takuji called as you exited your classroom. You stopped and watched as he approached you with an excited look on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated for a moment as he glanced up at Akechi, who was standing behind you. "Could I possibly steal you for a second?" He laughed awkwardly.

"You know where to find me." Akechi hummed before he walked off towards the library.

"Great. Shall we head to the roof?" Takuji asked. You nodded in response and followed him to your meeting place. Once you were seated at one of the tables, he began talking again. "So, how did it go yesterday? Did you make any progress?"

"Uhh..." You trailed off, unsure of how to tell him that you made very little progress without disappointing him. "I've still got a lot to do before I'm able to change Shinji's heart. Most of it involves training until I'm overpowered, or finding someone to help me get through his palace." You mumbled, leaning back in your chair. You were surprised when he didn't give you a disappointed look.

"Progress is progress! It's not like we have a limited amount of time to change his heart. Knowing that you're doing your best means a lot. Is there anyway I could help? Besides getting you more water and lemonade of course." He chuckled, making your heart flutter with relief. _Bless your soul Takuji._

"Hmmm. Do you know of any good gyms in Shibuya? Preferably cheap? My budget is pretty limited at the moment." You chuckled awkwardly. Takuji lifted a finger to his chin and a thoughtful look came over his face. It took him a long moment before he answered you.

"Most of the places in Shibuya are pretty expensive. I'll do some research for you though. I've got plenty of time to do so during subway rides while I hunt down your drinks." He responded, giving you a smile.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how helpful that is." You grinned, earning a nod from him.

"Well. I'm hungry and I don't want to keep you from Akechi-kun for too long." He laughed, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he turned and began heading towards the door. "He's kind of an intimidating guy. You should've seen the look on his face when I approached you after class." 

"He's probably just hangry." You giggled, even though you were screaming internally. Takuji opened the door for you as you exited.

"You should get back to him then." He chuckled. Once you made it back to the third floor where your class was situated, Takuji waved goodbye and headed towards the student council room, and you made your way to the library.

When you turned the corner to your usual seating arrangement, you found Akechi sitting with pieces of paper covering the table. His eyes immediately snapped to you, and as if by instinct, he reached out and swiftly recovered the scattered papers. His eyes widened slightly once he realized it was you and he slowed his quick movements so that he was leisurely retrieving the papers.

"You scared me for a moment." Akechi chuckled as he began organizing the papers.

"I can tell. Are those your top secret plans that describe an evil plot to take over the world?" You joked, knowing they were probably just papers for one of his detective cases.

"Is it that obvious?" He sighed in faux disappointment. The smile on his face was a dead giveaway that he was playing along.

"With how quickly you moved, yeah. It was very obvious." You giggled, holding a hand over your mouth as you removed the lunches from your bag. His gaze dropped to the box you set on the table and slid over to him. Once he put his papers away, he wasted no time unwrapping the bento and opening it. He glanced up at you, waiting for your explanation of today's lunch. "Today I made pork dumplings. They have cabbage and green onions in them. The little container holds soy sauce to dip them in. For the sides, I made rice, egg omelets and mini meatballs with the leftover stuffing because I didn't buy enough wrappings. Or maybe I just made too much." You told him.

He carefully opened the small plastic container filled with soy sauce and dipped one of the dumplings in it before taking a bite. A small smile twitched at his lips as he chewed. You both ate silently for a while until he spoke up.

"These remind me of the dumplings my mother and I used to make when I was younger. I was terrible at folding the wrapping and they always came out strange looking, but my mother only ate the ones I made. She always refused to eat the well made ones she would make." Akechi said softly as he stared at his near empty lunch box. Your heart hammered in your chest as you stared at the boy. Once he looked up at you, his eyes widened slightly. "Lunch is as tasty as always. The dumplings have a nice crunch and are delicious with the soy sauce. Rice was a good choice for a palate cleanser, and the eggs and meatballs were satisfying side dishes. Another wonderful meal." He said, seeming in an attempt to cover up what he just said.

"We should have a dumpling feast someday." You responded, completely ignoring his compliments. "I think you'll pick up wrapper folding quickly. It's not that hard. You should've seen the first batch I made this morning. A total mess." You giggled. He gave you a weary smile as he pondered your offer.

"I suppose that doesn't sound too bad. Perhaps after we finish exams? As a way to celebrate our success in passing? This won't count as the meal the loser of our bet has to make of course." He suggested.

"Sounds good!" You chirped, giving him a bright smile before you went back to eating.

**Afterschool**

You almost groaned as you entered Shujin. The thieves were no where in sight, but you could still feel the tension between you and the group in the air. You needed to fix things with the group soon. They were your second to last choice for help when it came to changing Shinji's heart. You knew having them help you out was a bad idea since they would also have to take on Madarame this month, but it was a better idea than asking Akechi for help. As much as you wanted to trust him, you couldn't help but doubt him when it came to this subject matter.

He might be opening up to you, or it could all just be a façade, meaning you'd have to play it safe for now.

**Evening**

As you exited the school, you didn't run into any of the thieves, nor Makoto, which bummed you out a bit. Even though you weren't a fan of confrontation, you didn't want this problem to linger any longer, so you messaged Ren, asking if he was busy. He responded a few minutes later with a single "yes." At this point, you were more than just a little bummed out. Your heart ached and all you wanted to do was go home and never leave again. 

Takuji was waiting for you in the Shibuya station once again with a bag of drinks. You were glad that he had gotten you more. You had gone through nearly half of the drinks he gave you yesterday since they only restored about five SP each.

"Also, I found a nice gym here in Shibuya that could probably work for you. It's about a 15 minute drive from the station. I'll send you the address of the location so you can find it on your own. I take it you'll be doing some training before heading back in?" Takuji questioned as he handed you the bag. 

"That's the plan." You sighed, wondering if you could exercise your feelings away. "Thank you for the drinks. I've already started running low."

"Oh my. I suppose I'll have to hunt for more next time." He chuckled enthusiastically. 

"P-Please don't spend too much money." You stuttered, unable to keep up with his energy.

"Don't worry about it. This is the only way I can help, so I'm going to do my best. And besides, my father has doubled my weekly allowance so I can buy you more drinks. He wants to help you as well." He responded, making you pale.

"Takuji-" You gasped in shock. His eyes widened slightly and he raised an eyebrow. "You told your dad?! You can't go around telling other people who I am and what I do." You said in a panicked, hushed whisper.

"Ahh. My bad." He laughed nervously, almost like he was hiding something. You just stared at him in horror before he glanced at his phone. "Oops. Gotta go! See you later!" He chirped before dashing away.

"What...?" You breathed in confusion as you stared down at the bag of water bottles and cans of lemonade. _Did he really expose me to an important executive with a lot of influence?_

You shuffled slowly back to your apartment, praying that you wouldn't run into anyone on the way. You weren't sure if you'd be able to handle interacting with another person without your brain ceasing all of its functions. You walked on autopilot up the stairs, to the elevator, and lastly into your home. 

Right as you finished putting away the last drink into your fridge, your phone buzzed. Takuji had sent you the address of the gym you were supposed to go to. Before leaving, you took a moment to change out of your school uniform and into some leggings and a plain short sleeved t-shirt that would be more comfortable to workout in.

Once you were ready, you found yourself unable to find the motivation to leave. Your heart still hurt and your mind was numb from shock. Every emotion that you've been suppressing up until this point threatened to break free. The thieves were mad at you, you missed your home and your parents, school was stressing you out, Akechi was stressing you out, being in a different world was stressing you out.

Even though you wanted to throw away your phone, lock your door, and hide under the warm covers of your bed until the end of Yaldy's reign on the world, you had people relying on you to change Shinji's heart. You could cry once you were done. 

After finally restraining your emotions once more, you exited your apartment and walked to a busy road, hailing a taxi so you could get to the gym faster. 

The moment you laid your eyes on the gym, you messaged Takuji, telling him that he sent the wrong address. He responded immediately, saying that that was the correct address. You couldn't believe what he was telling you. This gym was massive. On the left side of the building, you could see racquetball courts through the clear glass windows. On the right side was a massive pool, with what looked to be a hot tub at the back of the room. As you looked through the glass that made up the front doors, you could see rows and rows of expensive looking gym equipment, along with rows and rows of wealthy looking people using the machines.

You hesitantly opened the door, anxiety filling you to the brim. _Takuji's definition of cheap isn't even close to mine._

"Welcome miss! Is this your first time here?" A female receptionist chirped from behind the front counter, giving you a friendly smile.

"Uh yes it is." You responded as you got closer.

"Great! Could I get your name please?" She said as she typed something into the computer.

"Y/N L/N." You told her, only to be given a look of surprise.

"Oh! You're L/N-san! Takuji-kun was just in here to sign you onto his family's membership plan. Please sign here and I'll get your membership card ready." She said as she sat a clipboard and pen in front of you, then typed away at her computer. _Is this why he told his dad?_

Once you had finished writing down your signature, you handed the clipboard back and the clerk handed you your new membership card.

"Racquetball courts are through that door. The pool, hot tub, and sauna are to your right. Cardio is up front here, and weight lifting is at the back. To the far back left are the restrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms. To the far back right of the building is where we host pilates and yoga classes everyday at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. Have fun!" The clerk pointed as she spoke. When she was done speaking she went back to doing whatever she had been doing on her computer before you had arrived.

You just turned and headed towards the locker rooms so you could put away your bag while you worked out. After you found a suitable place to lock up your school bag and had taken out your water bottle and a small towel, you exited the locker rooms and looked around for something to do. 

You figured that cardio would be the best workout for now. You wanted to do some yoga, but the class had already started and you didn't want to interrupt.

You spent about half an hour slowly jogging on one of the treadmills, hoping to work on your stamina. When you were done, you went to the back to do a little bit of weight lifting to strengthen your upper body. You chose to do some shoulder presses until you got bored, then you switched it up a bit and just did some simple arm curls for a while. By the time you stopped, your arms felt like jelly. You didn't want to overwork yourself on your first day at the gym.

You hoped that what you had done today had some kind of effect in the Metaverse. You remembered that anytime Ren would go to the gym to workout, the stat increases would be instant, even if it wasn't much.

After you quickly wiped yourself down, you took your bag and headed back towards the entrance. The receptionists bid you a goodnight as you passed them and exited the building. As you were hailing for another cab, you immediately regretted not bringing a spare change of clothes. 

With that mildly awkward car ride out of the way, you were finally back in your apartment, feeling a bit better than before you had left. You didn't think exercise would actually help you with your emotions. 

While you were getting ready to shower, you texted the mighty Ace Detective Prince.

**Goro Akechi**

**8:47 P.M.**

Hello! Just a friendly reminder that I'm cooking you breakfast tomorrow morning so be here bright and early! Also that I'm going to demolish you and win our bet <3 **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Such big talk from such a small woman. I can't wait to make you eat those words.

How cute. I wish you luck. You're gunna need it. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** I highly doubt that. If anything, you'll be the one needing the luck, because I don't plan on losing.

Your dumb banter with the detective immediately made a smile crawl onto your face. Even though you still kind of doubted that he actually considered you his friend, you were happy to know that you were close enough to him to have conversations like this. It really lifted your spirits.

**Akechi:** By the way, how are you feeling? Have you made up with your friends yet?

Not yet. I texted Ren, asking if he was busy today and all he responded with was a single "yes." He never texts be with one word responses... **Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Perhaps he really was busy and didn't have the time to type out a longer message.

Hopefully that was the case :( **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Well, I have to go for now. Goodnight L/N. I hope you're able to talk with your friends soon.

Thanks. Goodnight Akechi. **:Y/N**

And with that, your good mood immediately vanished. You appreciated Akechi's concern, but all he did was remind you of what you were dealing with in the end. After showering for way longer than you usually do, you ate a small dinner and got ready for bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep the pain away.

For a moment, you just laid on your bed, staring at the cat plush on the pillow next to yours. It didn't smell like Akechi anymore. As your consciousness drifted away, you wondered if you could get him to take it with him for a bit, then give it back to you, so that it smelled like him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I might have covid. My mother and her boyfriend both tested positive, and since I live with my mom (her bf comes over nearly everyday), there's a good chance that I've been infected too. Hopefully things don't get too bad :')
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	23. Exams and Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You do your best to push your problems from your mind as exams start. You still really wanted to beat Akechi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK AT THIS OMLLLLLLL. My friend Alfie drew Takuji ;; If any of you were wondering what Takuji looks like exactly, here he is!! [Click me!](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/787509867321098270/804936491221778462/image0.png)  
> Go check out Alfie's social media for more amazing art! [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/alfoofs/) and [Tumblr](https://alfoofs.tumblr.com/) <3333 Who needs Akechi when we have drinks boy. Am I right? :')
> 
> Sorry for another late chapter ahdfksdkhfj ;;

**May 11th. Wednesday. Morning.**

You couldn't deny that you were excited to start the day, even if it was still extremely early. Akechi would be coming over in about an hour or so for breakfast, which would consist of ham and cheese omelets, fruit, and Akechi's favorite, pancakes. You quickly slid out of bed and skittered to your bathroom, eager to start the day. You wanted to see how Akechi would react to his favorite dish in the private confines of your apartment. 

As you began taking out the pans and ingredients you would need, you heard a knock at your door. The sudden sound so early in the morning made you jump. You weren't sure who it could be at this hour. You were pretty sure that Akechi would be coming at around 7 A.M. or later.

You slowly walked towards the door and opened it, only to be met with striking maroon eyes shining brightly with excitement.

"Good morning!" Akechi chirped as he walked in, not waiting for you to tell him to come in.

"Good morning. I didn't think you'd get here this early." You mumbled, speaking for the first time today. You were pretty sure that you still looked like you had just gotten out of bed. You haven't had much time to fully wake up yet. Wasting no time, he removed his shoes and uniform coat before walking into your kitchen area.

"My apologies, but I wanted to help." He responded, setting his briefcase onto your kitchen table and opening it. You watched as he pulled out the apron you had bought him, quickly taking notice of the light colored stain on the stomach area, causing you to smile. _He's been cooking?_ He must've noticed you staring at it because he turned around and held out the strings behind his back for you to tie, breaking your line of sight with the obvious spillage on his apron.

You shuffled up to him swiftly and took the strings from his hands, fingers gently brushing against his as you did so. After tying his apron to his body, you went to grab yours and went back to prepping for the meal.

"What are we making?" He asked as he came up beside you, eyeing the eggs.

"Pancakes of course. As well as ham and cheese omelets and fruit. It's the first day of exams, we gotta go big or go home." You giggled, earning a chuckle in response.

"How do we start?" He questioned, looking more than ready to begin.

"Measure out a cup and a half of flour, three and a half teaspoons of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon of sugar, then sift them into this bowl." You instructed, handing him the sifter and measuring cups. As he did as he was told, you put 3 tablespoons of butter into a cup and stuck it in the microwave to melt it.

"Now what?" He asked once he was finished. 

"Now make a well in the center so we can add the liquids." You told him, earning a look of confusion. "Oh. Make a divot in the mixture so that the liquids stay in the middle." You explained, watching as he made a hole in the center of the mixture, then looked back up at you with an uncertain look on his face. "Yeah just like that." You praised him. He reminded you of a puppy with the way he silently asked for reassurance and affirmation. "Now crack an egg and put it in the well."

As he did that, you carefully took the butter out of the microwave, then poured it into the well.

"Would you like to do the honors?" You quipped as you held out the whisk. He rolled his eyes and snatched the stirring utensil out of your hand. You were glad he immediately focused on stirring the pancake mix because your cheeks were burning after that little move of his.

While he did that, you began washing the fruit. It didn't take you long to slice up the strawberries and apples. Once you set your knife down, indicating that you were done, Akechi held up the bowl so you could see the contents.

"Is this okay? Or does it need to be stirred more?" He asked. You took the bowl from him and stirred it a bit, making sure to scrape the sides in order to get any lingering dry mix off. Since the mixture was mostly smooth and there wasn't any unmixed flour, you nodded at him. "Looks good. Wanna turn the stove onto a medium heat for me?"

He did as you asked. While you waited for the pan to heat up, you prepared to start on your omelets. You excitedly sprinkled bits of shredded ham and mozzarella cheese into the beaten eggs, earning a chuckle from Akechi.

"Oh hush." You muttered before mixing the eggs a bit more. "Do you want to make the omelets or the pancakes?" You asked him. His eyes widened and a nervous look crashed onto his face, clearly not ready for either of those tasks. "Akechi, you make everything seem harder than it really is. I promise you that you're going to do great." You told him, looking him directly in the eyes as you spoke. You watched him clench his jaw multiple times, keeping eye contact with you before he sighed.

"I'll make the omelets. At least if I mess up, I can still save it by making scrambled eggs instead." He said, finally breaking eye contact as he spoke. You sighed internally, trying not to show the disappointment you felt on your face. You weren't happy about the fact that he immediately assumed that he was going to fail. Especially since you would be cooking right next to him and he could ask you for help at any moment.

"Good. You'll be fine." You reassured, giving him a soft pat on the back before beginning on the pancakes. 

Just like you had expected, Akechi was quick to learn how to roll an egg in a pan. Once he had finished, he set them on individual plates, looking proud of himself.

"I told you so." You teased, smiling brightly at him. He half heartedly rolled his eyes, unable to hide the smile on his face.

After you had finished flipping a hearty stack of pancakes, you told Akechi to go sit down and that you'd bring him his plate, to which he happily did. You couldn't be certain, but you were pretty sure that he was doing his best not to drool.

When you had the plates ready to go, you walked over to your table and set them down.

"Thank you!" Akechi hummed, hovering over his breakfast. He took the maple syrup from its spot in the center of the table and drizzled a little onto his pancakes. When he was satisfied with the amount, he put the maple syrup back and immediately began eating.

You couldn't stop yourself from giggling. If it wasn't for the way he was carefully cutting his food and delicately placing it in his mouth, you'd think that he was just another child, excited for the bountiful breakfast that was prepared for him. Akechi didn't give you his normal little speech about your cooking until he had completely cleaned his plate.

"The pancakes were perfect. Moist and fluffy. Not too sweet. The savory omelet was a nice contrast from the pancakes and the juicy fruit really pulled the meal together." He chirped, giving you a close eyed, toothy grin. You could feel a heat trickle up your neck and make its way to your cheeks as you stared at him. You weren't sure if you've ever seen such a genuine expression from him before.

By the time you were done eating, you only had a short amount of time to cook lunch, so you quickly pan fried some tofu and made a simple garlic soy sauce with sesame seeds, which only took about 10 minutes to make. For the sides, you asked Akechi to slice a bell pepper up and you heated some leftover rice you had.

Akechi generously offered to pack the lunches today, which you happily let him do while you finally went and got dressed. After about 20 minutes, you were ready to leave, only running a few minutes behind schedule.

Akechi made you double check the lunches to make sure he did it right before he let you wrap them up and put them into your bag. Finally, you left your apartment and mentally prepared yourself for the possibility of running into one of the Phantom Thieves at the subway station.

You stood close to Akechi as you waited for your subway to arrive, doing your best to block out everyone and everything. You knew that if you heard their voices or saw them, you wouldn't be able to focus on your exams today.

You breathed a sigh of relief once you were on your subway car, neither seeing nor hearing any signs of the Thieves. You could feel Akechi glance at you for probably the tenth time today as you stood beside him, doing your best not to fall over from the wobbly ride. You wondered if he was worried about you, or if you just had something on your face and he was trying to figure out a way to tell you.

As you entered the mighty building that held your classes, Takuji practically skipped up to you once he noticed you.

"Good morning L/N!" Takuji chirped, giving you a cheeky grin.

"Good morning Takuji." You said, half glaring at him as you walked to your locker.

"What did you think of that place I recommended?" He asked with a knowing look in his eyes. He was clearly proud of the little stunt he had pulled yesterday.

"I have to admit, it was great. The staff were friendly and there were plenty of things for me to do. I just wish I didn't have to work everyday. By the time I get to the gym, the yoga classes have already started." You told him, earning an even brighter smile in response. "Although, a heads up would've been nice. I felt so awkward and nervous walking in there." You finished. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself. I thought it would be more interesting if I left it as a surprise." He said, finishing with a boyish laugh. Takuji laughing caused Akechi's fangirls, mainly Callie, to turn their attentions towards you.

"Awww look at the love birds!" Callie cooed at the two of you. You turned and looked at her up and down before glancing at Akechi. He looked like he was ready to run away and hide.

"Do you just assume that I'm flirting with every boy I talk to?" You quipped, not wanting to deal with her bullshit right before exams started.

"I wouldn't be surprised, considering your history." She teased, making you scrunch up your eyebrows. You lifted one hand and counted the number of boyfriends you've had in the past.

"Do middle school relationships count?" You asked, looking at Brook and Kaylee who were off to the side, trying to avoid the confrontation. They both shook their heads, indicating that middle school relationships didn't count. "Alright. My history of one- singular," You began, holding up your hand with all of your fingers down except your index finger to show her the amount of people you were talking about, "boyfriend. That's the best comeback you've had so far." You said sarcastically as you shut your locker. "It's exam week. You better start using your brain or you're going to fail." You finished, proud of yourself for that comeback. You were tired of her trying to embarrass you in front of everyone. You couldn't wait to get strong enough to change her heart.

You could hear Brook snort from her place at the back. Callie whipped around to glare at her sister, giving you, Takuji and Akechi the perfect opportunity to run away.

"I only understood a bit of that conversation, but it seems like she has quite the sharp tongue. Is she always like that to you?" Takuji asked you, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yup. I thought she'd get better, considering we're in a foreign country and she doesn't know how to speak the native language." You sighed, hoping that mildly exhausting encounter wouldn't effect your exam scores.

"I must admit, I'm proud of you for that one. You're getting better with your comebacks." Akechi praised, walking a little closer to you than he normally does.

"Let me guess, you've been practicing coming up with comebacks while in the shower." Takuji joked, making you squeak a laugh. 

"Is it that obvious?" You giggled, playing along. Akechi gave a forced chuckle at your bickering.

"Well, I'm going to head to class. See you in a bit." Takuji said once you all reached the stairs. You waved at him, and Akechi just nodded. 

As you made your way to the cafeteria like every morning, you looked up at Akechi, taking note of the way he didn't look down at you, even though he clearly knew that you were looking at him. You just sighed, knowing you probably shouldn't bring up that he was acting jealous. You couldn't help but wonder if he realized that he was jealous.

**Lunch**

"I'm definitely going to win our bet." You said confidently as you exited the classroom with Akechi by your side. You knew the answer to every question on the first exam of the day. Things were looking bright so far.

"Keep talking trash. It's just going to make my victory that much more satisfying." He quipped back, making you giggle.

"Ooooo I'm so scared." You teased, pretending to shiver. "The amazing, famous, smart, handsome, charming, second coming of the Ace Detective Prince thinks he can beat me." You said, dramatically putting the back of your hand to your head.

"You think I'm handsome?" He asked, giving you a bright smile, like he was fishing for the compliment.

"Is that all you got from that sentence?" You sighed in response. He just kept smiling at you, making you roll your eyes and give him what he wanted. "Yes I do. It's clear you put a lot of work into your appearance. I can appreciate that." 

"Thank you." He chirped, satisfied with your response. You just laughed and shook your head at his childishness.

Once you sat at your normal spot in the library, Akechi sat patiently, waiting for you to give him his lunch. You gently slid the box over to him and began opening your own.

"Do I have to explain what I made? You watched me make it." You said, earning a chuckle.

"Well of course you have to tell me. It wouldn't be the same if you didn't." He teased. Although, you could see the hungry look in his eyes. Despite your large breakfast, you were starving. Having to concentrate for that long was exhausting.

"Fine. Today I made pan fried tofu with a garlic soy sauce. Since I didn't have a lot of time, my lovely friend cut up a bell pepper for one of the sides and lastly, rice, because I had some leftover and didn't have any time to make more." You said, trying not to laugh.

Once you finished talking, Akechi immediately began eating. You both ate silently until your bento boxes were empty. When you were done, you looked up at Akechi, to see that he was still staring at his lunch box, almost frowning.

"Should I have made more?" You asked softly, feeling a bit bad that you hadn't prepared better. Akechi quickly looked up at you and smiled sheepishly.

"I suppose that exam took a lot out of me." He chuckled before closing his lunch box and handing it back to you. "I'm still a bit hungry. Would you like anything from the cafeteria?" He asked as he stood up, fishing around in his pockets for his wallet.

"Hmmm. How about something sweet? Surprise me." You responded, earning a nod in response before he walked off.

During his absence, you crammed as much information into your brain using every study tool you had available to you. You had to finish one more exam today, and you wanted to make sure that you were prepared again.

When Akechi came back, he was holding two fruit sandwiches. Both had strawberries, orange slices and kiwi slices. He handed you yours and you couldn't stop your mouth from watering.

"I've been in Japan for a month now, but this is my first time trying the fruit sandwiches I see everywhere." You said, delicately unwrapping your sandwich, doing your best to leave the cream undisturbed.

"They're definitely one of my favorite snacks." Akechi chuckled as he watched you marvel at the food before you. You carefully took a bite of the end with the strawberry. The bread was soft, and surprisingly not soggy. The cream was sweet and fluffy, perfectly balancing out the tartness of the strawberry.

"I can see why." You said once you swallowed, then immediately took another bite. By the time you both finished, you had spent nearly half of the lunch period eating.

"You seem to be getting pretty close to the student council president." Akechi commented offhandedly as he got out one of his textbooks. You raised an eyebrow and took note of the way he was avoiding your gaze.

"I suppose. We talk a lot before I leave school during 8th period." You told him as you continued to stare.

"He mentioned a surprise this morning? Something about a gym?" He interrogated, still not looking at you.

"Yeah. I've been looking for a good place to work out recently. Turns out he added me to his family plan at the gym he attends. I spent the evening there yesterday." You said, finally looking down at the flashcards in front of you.

"Oh? Why didn't you ask me for recommendations? I go to the gym quite often." Akechi asked. You lifted your head once again, seeing that he was finally looking at you.

"The topic never came up during our conversations. Plus, I had no idea you went to the gym." You responded, earning a quick surprised look in response. _I don't know a lot of things about you._

"That's true. Well, I'm here if you need any other recommendations. I've visited many places here in Tokyo." He chirped.

"I'll keep that in mind." You giggled before you both went back to studying.

**Afterschool**

"What do you plan on doing today?" Takuji asked as you walked towards your lockers.

"I'll probably head to the gym again. I don't want to overwork myself during exam week." You responded, putting in your code.

"That's a good idea. Would you like me to continue collecting water and lemonade for you?" He questioned as he opened his locker.

"No. I'm good for now. We probably shouldn't stockpile them. It might start looking suspicious if you keep buying all of the waters and lemonades everyday." You giggled as you put your stuff away.

"Yeah that makes sense. A break would be good for now. I have to get going. Tons of student council president stuff to do. I'll see you tomorrow." He said. You waved at him as he walked off in the direction of the student council room.

Once you reached Shujin, you immediately groaned at the sheer number of students in your classroom. Nearly everyone was sharing a desk with another two people. You weren't sure you'd be able to help all of them. Especially once school was over, since more people would be joining then. All you could do was pray that it didn't get too bad.

Of course, it instantly got worse once the bell rang. Just like you had thought, more students packed into the room, making it impossible to walk around. You couldn't get further than the first two rows of desks. 

You couldn't help but wonder why they didn't seek English tutoring before exam week. As your last hour ticked by, you did your best to assist the students that needed help.

**Evening**

Finally, your time was up and everyone was slowly filing out of the room. You just sat at your desk, staring at the ceiling. Despite having two exams, that was by far the most exhausting thing you've done today. You didn't want to do anything other than eat and go to sleep. 

As you finished packing up your things, a movement from the corner of your eye caught your attention. A certain black and white cat had entered your classroom, and sat a few feet away from your desk.

"Morgana?" You said quietly as you stared at him. _What's he doing here?_ "Is Ren around?"

"No, but I think you should take me home." He responded. You could feel yourself begin to get nervous as you approached the kitty and set your bag down so he could climb into it. Once your bag was over your shoulder, he made himself comfortable on your shoulder. 

"Well, I suppose I could get dinner from Leblanc and take it home. I don't feel like going to the gym today." You mumbled to yourself as you walked out.

"Hehehe." Morgana cackled, nearly sending a shiver down your spine. _Am I in danger?_

Morgana stayed quiet for the most part as you rode the subway and walked to Leblanc. His silence made you even more nervous. At this point, you were expecting to walk into Leblanc and be stabbed to death by the Thieves.

The bell above the door chimed as you walked in, making Sojiro turn his head towards you and give you a tired smile as he watched you enter.

"Welcome back. The kids upstairs." He said before turning his attention back towards the television. As you approached the steps, you reached up and grabbed Morgana's paw, genuinely nervous for whatever's about to happen. Morgana curled up his paw in your hand in an attempt to hold your hand back. 

When you reached the top, you spotted Ren sitting alone at his desk, probably making lockpicks or other Metaverse items. He turned his head quickly and you nearly froze under his gaze. Even though he was good at hiding his feelings, you could see a whirlwind of emotions cross his face.

"Thanks for bringing Morgana home." He said softly as you walked towards him.

"No problem." You responded awkwardly, setting your bag on the table to let the kitty out. You took a quick glance at what he was doing, seeing that he really was making lockpicks. "I just use bobby pins as lockpicks. They're super cheap and won't get you in trouble if someone finds them." You said without thinking. 

"How do you make a lockpick out of a bobby pin?" He asked, sounding a bit intrigued. You immediately regretted ever coming here. You haven't apologized, but you were about to teach him how to make bobby pin lockpicks.

Sighing slightly, you dug around in your bag and found a few loose bobby pins. "Here." You said, handing one to him. He took it and examined it before looking back up at you. "Bend the bobby pin open until it's at a 90 degree angle." You instructed as you bent the bobby pin that you were holding. Ren carefully did the same thing. "Then remove the rubber nub at the straight end." You said as you scraped the nub off. Once Ren had done that, you continued. "Make a slight bend at the tip of the straight end. Usually using a lock is a good idea, or you can use the side of a solid object." You informed, putting the end of the bobby pin against the desk and holding the tip against it with your thumb, then you pushed downward, making it bend. 

You watched as Ren attempted to do the same thing, only to apply too much pressure and bend the bobby pin completely.

"Easy there tiger." You teased, earning a bashful grin in response. "Here. Less pressure this time." You told him as you handed him another one. He repeated the first two steps, then attempted to bend the end once again. This time, he did a better job. "Good." You praised, then handed him another bobby pin.

"Two?" He questioned, looking up at you through his disheveled hair and glasses. 

"Two." You nodded. "The second one is going to be our lever." You told him. "Now, bend the closed end of the bobby pin to a 90 degree angle." You said and did the same thing that you did with the first bobby pin.

He followed your instructions, then held it up for you to see. It looked just like yours did.

"Yeah just like that. Good job." You hummed, giving him a clap on the back. He visibly brightened at your praise and encouragement. 

"Why do you know how to make these?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Why are you making them?" You quipped in response, knowing you couldn't tell him that you knew how to make them because you googled it after the ordeal in Kamoshida's palace. A smile twitched at his lips. You couldn't deny the fact that you felt relieved by this moment. At least Ren didn't seem to hate you. "I should get going before Sakura-san decides to leave. I need something for dinner." You sighed as you grabbed your bag off the table.

"I can make you dinner." Ren said, quickly standing. His eagerness caught you off guard. You just nodded, unable to tell him that he didn't have to, and began walking.

Sojiro watched you both as you descended the staircase that led to Ren's room. You took a seat at the counter as Ren walked behind the counter and slipped on his apron.

"Well, if you can handle serving her, then I'm going to head home." The older man said as he removed his own apron. Ren just nodded as he walked into the kitchen. "Don't forget to lock up, and no sleepovers." He finished, giving Ren a pointed look.

"As much as Morgana might like that, I prefer my bed at home." You joked in an attempt to make yourself feel less awkward, earning a grunt of a laugh in response from the coffee master before he left.

"Can I sleepover?" Morgana asked, giving you puppy eyes.

"What's that look for?" You questioned, wondering why he brought you here in the first place if he was just going to end up going home with you anyways.

"I think he wants to go with you." Ren said as he chopped some vegetables.

"But I brought you all the way over here." You groaned, laying your arms against the counter and leaning your head on top.

"B-b-b-b-b-b-but..." Morgana whimpered, bottom lip quivering and pupils widening like he was about to cry. You just sighed and reached up to pet his soft kitty head.

"How are exams going for you?" Ren asked as he stirred the pot of curry.

"Fantastic. I knew the answer to every question on the first two exams. I'm definitely going to beat Akechi at this rate." You giggled, only to yawn as you finished speaking. Ren looked at you with a smile on his face and an eyebrow raised. "We made a bet. The person with the lowest overall exam score has to cook the winner a meal of their choice. I'll make him cook for me if it's the last thing I do."

"Kick his ass!" Morgana cheered. It was hard not to laugh at his quip.

"Good. Knock him off of his pedestal." Ren joked. You didn't hold back your laughter this time. Ren chuckled along with you.

"How about you? How are your exams going so far?" You asked him, looking over at him.

"I'm feeling pretty good about my exams as well." He told you, giving you his signature smirk.

"Oh good! If you make top 5 in your class, I'll treat you to a homecooked meal that isn't curry." You said, earning an excited look in response. Well, excited for Ren's standards. He just closed his eyes and gave you a soft smile.

"I'd like that." He hummed before turning his attention back to your meal. Despite the warm atmosphere and friendly vibe, you could still feel the unresolved tension between you two. The longer the silence went on, the heavier it got. "You want to take this to go, right?" Ren finally spoke up when he turned off the stove.

"Yes please." You squeaked through a yawn. You watched as he scooped some rice into a white takeout container, then added a heaping serving of the curry on top. You could feel your mouth water as you stared at the hot food, ready to devour it.

"Here you go." Ren said as he walked around the counter and handed you the bag that held your food.

"Thank you." You chirped as you slid out of the chair. Before you could grab your school bag, Morgana hopped in and gave you a pleading look. You just sighed and picked up your bag with him in it.

"Yes!" Morgana hissed as you walked towards the door. Ren, being the gentleman that he was, opened the door for you. You stopped walking once you had passed the door and looked down, trying to think of what to say to him before you left. You turned around and did your best to look Ren in the eyes. He looked like he knew what you were about to say.

"Could we.. get the group together some time soon so we can talk?" You asked quietly, unable to hold his gaze as you spoke.

"Sure. After exams?" He responded just as quietly. You nodded, trying to will yourself to look at him again.

"Goodnight Ren." You said before you began turning to leave.

"Goodnight Y/N." He hummed before closing the door behind you.

You sighed and your shoulders shook a bit once you were in the station, finally feeling the anxiousness in your body leave. That wasn't what you had been expecting.

"I've missed talking to him." You mumbled as Morgana perched himself on your shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure they all miss you too." He murmured in response. You also missed Makoto. Even though she had gotten you into this mess, you wished you could've at least seen her these past few days.

When you reached your apartment, you immediately took out the food and began eating, almost forgetting about Morgana. He cried until you got up and fetched him some food. Today had taken a lot out of you.

By the time you were done eating, it was a little after 8 P.M. Since you didn't want to stay awake any longer than you had to, you threw away the empty takeout box and put the plate that held Morgana's dinner into the sink to wash later. As you wandered to your bathroom, you texted Akechi.

**Goro Akechi**

**8:07 P.M.**

Breakfast tomorrow? **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** We had breakfast together today though.

And we have two more exams tomorrow. I know we're competing, but I'd prefer to play on a level playing field. **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:**... I suppose I could join you again. Do I have to help this time?

No. And you didn't have to help last time either <3 **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight L/N.

Goodnight Akechi! **:Y/N**

After taking a quick shower, you ran yourself a bath and just soaked in it while Morgana explored your apartment. You hoped he wouldn't try to stay with you during school. He was supposed to help Ren with his exams.

When you finally got out, you dried your hair as quickly as you could, then headed to bed. As you entered your room, you noticed Morgana staring at the cat plush on the pillow next to yours.

"Akechi won that for me at the arcade we all went to a while ago. He just showed up with it one day. It kind of looks like you, doesn't it?" You giggled as you picked it up and held it next to him.

"He must really like you to go through the trouble of getting you that ridiculous toy. It looks nothing like me." Morgana commented before he batted it with his paw.

"Aww. You don't like it? I think it's cute." You cooed as you laid down and held the plush to your chest.

"That's my spot." He grumbled as he walked onto your stomach and sat down. You moved the toy to the side and Morgana happily took its place.

It didn't take long for that fuzzy darkness to envelop your mind and pull you into dreamland.

**May 12th. Thursday. Morning.**

Today, you were awoken by the delightful sound of Morgana whining in your ear, saying that he was starving. You squinted your eyes open and glared at the cat before you reached for your phone, noticing that your alarm was going to go off soon anyways.

As you sat up and rubbed the sleep from your eyes, Morgana hopped off your bed and bounced from one paw to the other in front of your door, repeatedly saying the word 'fish'. _How does he have so much energy this early?_

Sliding off your bed, you opened the door and watched him zoom to your kitchen. Before he could turn around, you locked yourself in the bathroom and did your morning routine, earning a groan in response. Thankfully, he didn't scratch at your door. You'd get in trouble if anyone found out that you had a cat in your apartment.

Once you were done, you walked to your kitchen and got an excited looking Morgana a plate of fish. For breakfast today, you wanted something more savory than sweet, so you decided to grill your last salmon steak and make a traditional Japanese breakfast. They were one of your favorite meals to make since they were so different from the traditional American breakfast, which usually consisted of eggs, toast, bacon and/or cereal.

After you had cleaned and put the rice in the rice cooker, you began prepping the salmon. Before you could finish lathering it with a honey sauce, a knock came from your door. 

"Come here kitty." You whispered as you scooped Morgana into your arms. You assumed it was Akechi at the door, but it was better to be safe than sorry, so you locked Morgana in your room. "Shhh. I'll let you out in a bit." Morgana just stared up at you as you closed the door.

When you opened your front door, you found the princely detective you had been expecting staring down at his phone. Noticing you had opened the door, he looked up and gave you a soft smile.

"I was just about to message you." Akechi said as you stepped aside to let him in.

"Sorry. I had to hide Morgana. Just in case it wasn't you at my door." You explained to him as you walked back to your room. "You can come out now." You said as you opened the door. Morgana quickly trotted out and went straight towards Akechi.

"Oh. It's the cat." Akechi remarked, taking a moment to remember who Morgana was.

"I'm not a cat!" Morgana snapped, glaring at the junior detective.

"I think he remembers you." You giggled as you crouched in front of Morgana. "Do you remember Akechi?" You cooed and rubbed his cheeks.

"Just say the word and I'll stick my claws where the sun doesn't shine." Morgana grumbled as you squished his face together. It took all of your strength not to flinch or cringe from his quip.

"What's for breakfast?" Akechi asked as he set his briefcase onto your kitchen table and opened it.

"Grilled salmon, miso soup, eggs, and rice." You responded as you walked towards the unfinished salmon.

"May I cook the eggs?" Akechi questioned as he came up beside you, wearing his apron. You couldn't stop the smile that blossomed onto your face as you looked up at the detective. 

"Sure. Get them out of the fridge." You said, nodding your head towards the cold storage unit before you went back to finishing up the salmon.

"How many should I get?" Akechi asked as he looked in the fridge, opening the carton of a dozen eggs.

"How hungry are you?" You asked back. The soft sound of his stomach growling answered your question for him. "Five."

Akechi did as he was told and brought them up to the counter. You handed him a bowl and he dropped the contents of the eggs inside, then whisked them together for you. He gave you a nervous look when you handed him the salt and pepper, clearly unsure of how much to put in. You watched as he hesitantly cracked the seasonings over the yellow liquid. He glanced at you multiple times, waiting for you to tell him he had put enough. When you finally nodded, telling him that he could stop adding salt and pepper, he started whisking the eggs once more.

This time, he didn't wait for you to tell him that he had whisked it enough. He just turned on the stove and oiled the pan for rolled omelets. Pride swelled in your chest as you watched him carefully pour some of the egg batter into the hot pan.

While he had been making the eggs, you had put the salmon in the fish grill.

As you waited, you prepped for lunch and your dinner. You wanted to make fried chicken with homemade french fries. You knew it wasn't the healthiest, but you were craving your moms homemade french fries, so you thought you'd make something tasty along with it.

"What's for dinner?" Akechi joked as he watched you peel and slice up some potatoes.

"Fried chicken and fries. If I don't go to the gym today after work, dinner will be done at around 6:30 to 7 P.M. If I do go, it'll be done at around 8 P.M. I'll let you know." You said, continuing what you were doing.

"Oh. Alright." Akechi said quietly, probably not expecting you to invite him for dinner so casually. You knew he was just teasing since you went from prepping lunch to immediately prepping for dinner, but he was the one who asked.

Finally, breakfast was complete and you were ready to eat. Like usual, Akechi took a seat while you made the plates. He said a soft "thank you" as you set his meal in front of him. As you took your seat, Akechi glanced up and looked around your kitchen for a moment. 

"Did I forget something?" You asked, looking down at your meals, then back to the kitchen.

"No. I forgot that you didn't have a coffee maker. Some coffee would be great right about now." He said, almost looking tired.

"I could ask Ren to bring you a cup. I have to meet up with him to give him back Morgana anyways." You responded, almost forgetting about the cat who had been staring you both down the entire time you've been cooking. You wondered if he was still hungry.

"No it's fine. We can just stop by one of the convenient stores in the station." He hummed before he began eating. "Mmm. Salmon." You just giggled as he shoved the food into his mouth, making you wonder if he ate dinner last night.

As you ate, Morgana walked up beside you and gave you puppy eyes, obviously begging for a bite.

"I literally just fed you an entire fish. How are you still hungry?" You sighed, giving him what he wanted anyways. 

Once you were done, Akechi offered to do the dishes, making you realize that you were both starting a routine whenever he came over. You cooked, with his help sometimes, then he did the dishes. 

While he cleaned up for you, you went to get dressed, then finished what you were making for lunch. Finally, you were both out of the house and headed towards the station with Morgana stashed away in your bag.

As you had hoped, Ren was waiting for you by the subway you all take. Ren opened his bag as you approached so you could stuff Morgana into it. Despite complaining and hissing, you managed to get Morgana to go with Ren. You wanted to make sure that you didn't mess anything up by keeping Morgana with you today. 

You couldn't stand how awkward it was standing in between him and Akechi on the way to school. Akechi must've noticed this, because he immediately brought it up once you got off at your first stop.

"So I take it that you haven't been able to talk with them?" He hummed, giving you a look of pity.

"I talked to Ren a little last night when I tried to take Morgana home. He said that we can all talk after exams are done." You mumbled, letting your shoulders droop. You wanted to get this over with already.

"I see. I hope it goes well." Akechi said softly.

"Yeah. Me too." You responded.

**Lunch**

You stayed quiet as you left the classroom, feeling like you didn't do nearly as well on your first exam of the day as you did yesterday because you couldn't stop coming up with possible scenarios of what might happen when you finally talk to the Thieves.

"No trash talk today?" Akechi teased as he walked beside you.

"Not today." You sighed, earning a worried look.

"What's wrong? Are you unsure of your answers?" He asked, staring down at you.

"It's not that. I just can't stop thinking about what could possibly happen when I finally talk to my friends." You groaned, keeping your eyes forward.

"May I ask what happened between you all?" He questioned as you entered the library. You glanced up at him, trying to decide if you should tell him or not. He would find out their identities eventually, and there's a good chance he already suspects them. If you remembered correctly, Akechi already overheard Ren and Ryuji talking about changing Kamoshida's heart while in the station.

Despite the heated debate on whether you should tell him or not that was going on in your head, the seemingly genuine look of concern on his face broke you.

"Makoto said she wanted my support with something, so obviously I went along with her. Turns out she was confronting Ren and them, accusing them of being the Phantom Thieves. I could see it on their faces. They thought I had told Makoto that I suspected them or that they were up to something, that I wasn't actually their friend and was just watching them for her." You told him, finally looking away from him. "Don't get me wrong, I love them, but that group is way too dysfunctional to 'change someone's heart.'" You added as a finishing touch. Hoping it would keep him from suspecting them too much.

"I see... That's quite the misunderstanding. This must be weighing heavily on you." He said quietly as you reached your lunch table. He was furrowing his eyebrows and frowning softly. You couldn't tell if he was upset about what had happened or worried about you.

"It's been eating away at me for days. I try to distract myself, but in the end, I always end up thinking about them before I go to sleep." You mumbled as you sat, hiding your face in your hands.

"H-hey. It'll be alright. Knowing you, they'll realize their mistake once you explain what really happened. You're a good friend after all. I'm sure everything will be just fine." Akechi stuttered, looking a little flustered. You figured it was because he wasn't used to comforting people.

You just nodded, feeling bad that you dampened the mood. You handed him his lunch and unwrapped yours. Once he had his unwrapped, he waited for you to explain what you had made, even though he had watched you cook your lunches for the second day in a row.

"Today's lunch is Mongolian beef with plenty of vegetables to keep our brains going during our last exam of the day. As well as rice, cucumber slices and eggs. I made sure to give you extra this time." You hummed, unable to keep yourself from smiling as a smile erupted onto the detectives face.

After taking a mouthful of his lunch, he stopped and prepared his little speech. "Mm! The beef melts in your mouth, but the vegetables still have a nice crunch to them. The contrast between textures is wonderful. The subtle sweetness of the cucumber pairs nicely with the savory and salty beef. Also, there's a hint of spice. I didn't notice it until I started talking. It's the perfect amount of heat for me. This meal is being added to my list of favorites." He chirped, giving you a blindingly bright smile.

"I'm still offended that you doubted that I'd be able to spice your food according to your taste." You teased, silently thanking him for lightening the mood.

"I suppose I should apologize for doubting you. You know me well." He chuckled, giving you a close eyed smile this time. You could feel a faint blush heat up your cheeks as you gazed at his features being illuminated by the sun. You wondered if he knew how angelic he looked right now.

**Afterschool**

You sighed as you exited the classroom and rubbed the bridge of your nose. Despite studying so hard, you still had to use a lot of your brain power in order to get through the test.

"How do you think you did today?" Takuji asked as he followed you down the hallway.

"I'm not too confident about the first exam, but that one wasn't too bad. I think I did pretty good." You responded, feeling your confidence about beating Akechi start to dwindle. If you messed up at all on the first exam, Akechi would definitely win your bet.

"Well, I doubt you did bad. I've seen your grades. Missing a question or two won't hurt your overall grade in class." He chuckled in response.

"Yeah, but I made a bet with Akechi. One point could make all the difference." You groaned as you reached your locker.

"Oh my. I wish you luck then. I feel like Akechi-kun is the type of guy who never loses a bet." Takuji said, giving you a look of pity. His words only made you feel worse.

"I'm definitely going to lose." You cried, earning a laugh from the boy next to you as he watched your dramatic act.

After you waved goodbye to the Ichiryu student council president, you headed towards the station and to Shujin, hoping that there wouldn't be as many students today. 

When you walked into your classroom, you noticed that there was still a large amount of students, hoping for some help with their English studies before they took their exams. It took all of your strength not to groan out loud. This was definitely going to be exhausting. You prayed that by the time you were done, you'd still have energy left to head to the gym. You needed to get as strong as you could as soon as you could. You also had to take on Callie's palace eventually.

**Evening**

Just like yesterday, more students swarmed into your classroom once the bell rang. However, this time, a few familiar faces showed up. Specifically Mishima and Kasumi. Kasumi had given you a look of pure horror when she had walked in and saw the amount of people in the classroom. You had responded with a look that said "help me." 

"How have you been Senpai?" Kasumi asked as you packed up your things for the day. 

"I've been alright. Kind of extremely stressed. How about you?" You laughed, feeling exhausted.

"I feel that. Juggling school and gymnastics is getting more and more difficult." Kasumi responded as she followed you out of the door and towards the stairs. "How are your exams going so far?"

"Pretty good. I've only had trouble with one exam so far, but that's only because I couldn't stop thinking about other things." You sighed, earning a hum of acknowledgement.

"You've been having trouble with Ren-senpai, haven't you?" She asked as you headed down the stairs.

"You know about that?" You groaned.

"I ran into him during lunch the other day, and I noticed that he seemed pretty down. I asked him what was wrong and he said something happened between you two. He didn't go into detail though." She told you, making you groan once again. _Is this effecting them as much as it's effecting me?_

"There was a misunderstanding between us, but I haven't been able to talk to him or the others about it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do so once exams are over." You responded, slouching a bit. This seemed to be a popular conversation topic today.

"If it was a misunderstanding, then I'm sure you'll be able to talk it out. He seemed to want to talk to you too." She said before stopping at the entrance of Shujin. "You're heading to the station, correct?" You nodded in response. "Well, this is where we part ways then. It was nice talking to you again! We should hang out soon." Kasumi chirped, giving you a soft smile.

"I'd love to. Bye for now." You said, smiling back at her and waving before you turned and walked towards the station.

As you walked into the station, a certain short haired brunette that you had been hoping to see was waiting for the subway alone.

"Hey Mako-chan." You hummed as you came up beside her. You watched her jump in fright and whip her head towards you. "Ah oops." You giggled. "Sorry."

"N-N/N. Hello. I thought you had already left Shujin." She stuttered a bit, looking kind of nervous. _Does she think I'm still angry with her?_

"It took me a bit to get out of the classroom due to how many students there were." You grumbled, knowing that you wouldn't have to deal with it tomorrow since that's the last day of exams.

"Oh dear. Everyone wants to get some last minute studying in it seems." She chuckled in response. "Do you have any plans today?" She asked as your subway came into your view.

"Yeah. I'm gunna try to hit the gym today, then later I'm going to be cooking Akechi dinner." You told her, earning a slight smirk.

"Are you in love with him yet?" She teased. You gave her a half hearted glare.

"No." You quipped, watching her raise an eyebrow, making you realize that she said "yet." "I'm not in love with him now, and I never will be. Unless you count platonic love." You huffed and pouted like a child.

"We'll see about that." Makoto giggled as you both entered the subway car. You scoffed playfully at her and gave her a faux look of offense. Makoto only laughed harder, making you laugh as well. 

After you said your goodbyes in Shibuya station, you texted Akechi and headed to your apartment to get your gym bag together. Even though you were tired, you were determined to work out today. Before you left, you put the thawed chicken drumsticks into a bowl full of buttermilk to marinade. 

Once you arrived at the gym, you went straight for the cycling machines. Gaining stamina was your top priority at the moment.

After spending only about 45 minutes working out, you left the gym and went back home to get started on dinner. You would've stayed longer, but you said you'd cook for Akechi.

You messaged Akechi when you got inside, telling him that you just got home and would be starting on dinner soon. He responded almost immediately, saying that he was on his way. Before he arrived, you quickly washed your face and reapplied your deodorant since you wouldn't have enough time to shower.

By the time Akechi arrived at your apartment, you had nearly finished cooking dinner. Homemade french fries, fried chicken, and mac and cheese. _The perfect after workout meal._

"How very healthy." Akechi commented as you placed his plate in front of him.

"You know me. I only cook the healthiest of meals." You responded sarcastically as you stared at the hot food in front of you. You were ready to dig in. Akechi chuckled at your remark before he started eating. You followed his lead and started with the fries. "Not quite..." You sighed, mildly disappointed that they didn't taste like how your mothers tasted.

"Not quite?" Akechi questioned after he tried the fries.

"They don't taste like how my mother used to make them. I don't remember what she did differently." You mumbled, doing your best to reach into your brain for that bit of information.

"Well, I still think they taste amazing. The outside is crispy and coated perfectly in seasoning, and the inside is soft and fluffy. The chicken is moist and tender. The breading makes a satisfying crunch with every bite. The mac and cheese is creamy and savory. If this wasn't so fatty, I'd ask for a second serving." Akechi said, laughing softly towards the end of his speech.

"I'm glad you like it." You responded, getting a little flustered like usual.

You patted your stomach and leaned back in your chair once you finished. Fatty and fried foods always tasted the best when you're exhausted.

"Shall I help you clean up?" Akechi asked as he stood from his spot across from you.

"Pretty please." You grumbled, not wanting to get up. Akechi chuckled as he took your dishes to your sink and began rinsing them off. "Hey. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?" 

"Breakfast?" He looked back at you, confusion visible on his face.

"Tomorrow is the last exam day. So yes. Breakfast." You responded, giving him a tired smile. The confusion didn't leave his face after you explained.

"Isn't it expensive to be cooking for me this often?" He questioned, turning off the running water to give you his full attention.

"Well, yeah, but these exams are important, and I want you to do well, so you have to eat right in the morning. Plus, it's nice having you around so often. I lived in a busy household before I moved to Japan, so you coming over like this reminds me of home." You hummed, feeling the full force of your exhaustion start to hit you. You were beginning to think that you were going to fall asleep mid-conversation. 

Akechi stared at you silently for a prolonged moment before he sighed heavily and approached you, digging his hand into his front pants pocket and pulling out his wallet. After handing you several thousand yen, he turned around and went back to doing the dishes.

"As much as I appreciate this, I'd rather you not go bankrupt trying to feed me." He hummed, turning his full attention back to the dishes. You just smiled at him, taking in the way he looked while doing normal household chores before you counted the bills in your hand. Watching Akechi do simple domestic tasks like cooking or doing the dishes was such a surreal thing to you. Your memories of the smaller details of the game were fading, but you were pretty sure that Ren never actually visits Akechi's apartment, and yet, Akechi can be often found hanging out in Leblanc.

A sudden movement in front of you brought you out of your daze. Akechi was standing by the door, looking at you with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm sorry, what? I was lost in thought for a moment." You giggled awkwardly, earning a tired smile and an eye roll in response.

"I'm leaving now." He hummed as he slipped on his shoes.

"You never answered my question." You said as you stood from your spot and approached him. You held eye contact with him for a second before he looked away.

"Surprise me." He responded as he opened the door. "Well, thank you for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight L/N." 

"Goodnight Akechi." You mumbled, lazily waving at him as he left.

Finally, you were alone and could relax. You immediately hopped in the shower and rinsed away the sweat and grime from your body, reveling in how clean it made you feel. After taking some time to dry your hair and work on grading more of those papers, you shuffled to your bed, excited to pass out.

_Tomorrow will be better. I only have two more exams to finish. My tutoring time won't be filled with students desperate for some last minute studying, and I'll be able to talk with Ren more so we can figure out a day where we can all talk._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmm the next chapter. I'm so ready.
> 
> I'm rewatching Vampire Knight and I'm just realizing how edgy it is lmao. Oh god. It's so bad. It used to be my favorite anime in high school. Still love Zero tho ;; Lowkey want to write about him. Edgy boy needs a hug and a kiss on the forehead ;; 
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)


	24. Apple Juice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally get to meet the character who might be able to understand your predicament the most. Although, things move a little too quickly for your liking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Heavy breathing*
> 
> Just a note. I'm changing "afterschool" to "afternoon." Technically, it is after school for reader since she leaves during 8th period to go to work, but I feel like it just makes more sense to use "afternoon," since not everyone leaves school during that time.
> 
> Also, don't forget that this book assumes you know the entire plot of Persona 5 royal! ;)

**May 13th. Friday. Morning.**

You nearly rolled off your bed as you reached for your phone to turn off your alarm. Today was the last day of exams, meaning you'd finally have some time to relax, and that excited you to no end. At least it did, until you remember that you had to talk to the Thieves and change a mans heart. You couldn't stop the groan that escaped your throat as you sat up and got out of bed, sluggishly shuffling to your bathroom to begin getting ready for the day.

After sloppily brushing your teeth and giving your face a half-assed wash with a fresh towel, you contemplated what you would be making for breakfast. You assumed that it would be Akechi's last breakfast with you for a while, so you wanted to change it up a bit.

As you entered your kitchen and got ready to start on breakfast, your phone dinged, making you jump a little. Checking it, you noticed that Akechi had messaged you.

**Goro Akechi  
** **6:23 A.M.**

 **Akechi:** Good morning L/N! Would you like me to bring you some coffee this morning?

Sure! It's been a while since I've had coffee <3 **:Y/N**

 **Akechi:** Cream and sugar? Or would you prefer it black?

Cream and sugar please! The sweeter the better. : **Y/N**

 **Akechi:** You have good taste. I'll see you in a bit then.

Don't take too long! **:Y/N**

While waiting for the mighty detective to get to your apartment, you began cooking. Todays breakfast was going to be mini sausages, easy over eggs, toast and fruit, a more "American" dish in your opinion. For lunch, you were trying to decide between pork and chicken.

Since you had chicken last night, you settled on tonkatsu, which was the pork version of chicken katsu. You also planned on making rice, cucumber salad, and the leftover fries from last night.

As you were finishing up your breakfast, a soft knock came from your front door. You trotted over to the sound and opened the door, finding the pretty detective on the other side, holding two thermoses of what you assumed was coffee in one hand. You quickly grabbed one of the containers, earning a look of relief from Akechi.

"Thank you. I was worried that I would drop it." He chuckled as he walked into your apartment. "You're already done cooking?"

"I only have to slice up the fruit. You can do that for me if you'd like." You said, smiling up at him. You watched a small smile slide across his face as he nodded and set his things down, then headed towards your kitchen. "I already washed it. You just have to cut it up." You told him, earning a hum of acknowledgement as he removed his gloves and washed his hands before he began handling the fruit.

As you placed the food onto their respective plates, you heard a hiss from the detective beside you. You turned your head and looked at him, noticing that he had cut his finger.

"Oops." He mumbled as he set the knife down. "I didn't get any blood on the fruit." He tried to joke as the red liquid began dripping down his finger.

"Be careful Akechi." You scolded and delicately took a hold of his hand in yours, looking closely at his cut. You did your best to ignore how soft and warm his skin was. "Come on." You sighed as you pulled him to your bathroom to tend to his wound. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding a lot. As you both walked, you pressed your fingers against his to apply pressure. You and your brother used to rough house a lot when you were younger, so you were well versed when it came to cleaning cuts and scrapes.

Once you reached the bathroom, you pulled him close to you as you held his hand under the sink tap. "This is gunna sting." You told him as you turned on the water. He hissed again once the water touched his cut. "Baby." You teased as you carefully washed around the wound.

It took him a moment for your words to register in his mind. "It takes one to know one." He teased back, making you giggle.

"You're not wrong." You laughed as you pulled his hand out from under the water. You bent down and took an unused hand towel out of the cabinet under the sink. Gently, you dabbed the area around his wound to dry it. "It's not that bad." You mumbled as you reached back under the sink and got out a pink Band-Aid that had a cute bunny character pattern over it, then wrapped it around his finger. Once you were done, you clapped him on the back. "There you go."

"Thanks." He said softly as he stared at his finger. You hummed in response and walked back towards your kitchen with Akechi in tow.

"Sit. I'll finish it." You told him. You heard the chair scrape against the ground as he took his seat. 

Finally, your breakfast was done and was ready to eat.

"Thanks for the meal." He mumbled before he began eating. While you were eating, Akechi hummed occasionally, clearly enjoying the hot meal. It was hard to hide the smile that pulled at your lips. Knowing the celebrity detective liked your cooking so much made the warm feeling of pride swell in your chest.

"Are you ready for our last two exams?" He asked, making conversation as he munched on his toast.

"Yes sir. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you lose." You quipped, shoving your last sausage into your mouth.

"Please excuse my language, but I'm going to kick your ass." He said, a smirk curling up his cheeks.

"Gasp! Did I just hear the pure, innocent, sweet, cute, soft, Ace Detective Prince swear?! I must be hearing things." You teased, watching as his smile widened.

"You think I'm cute?" He asked, making you groan. _He's doing this on purpose._

"Yes. You're the cutest boy I've ever laid my eyes on, but that's not going to keep me from destroying you." You said, trying to ignore the heat that made its way up your neck and to your cheeks. He just chuckled at your response. "God you're so annoying." You grumbled as you sat back and rubbed your face, trying to hide the smile that wouldn't leave your lips.

"It's not my fault you keep walking right into that trap." He giggled, holding a hand over his mouth. 

"You're just fishing for compliments. Admit it already." You teased back, only making him laugh harder. 

"If I was looking to be complimented, I wouldn't be making it so obvious." He said, smiling at you. "However, I'll happily accept a compliment when given." He finished making you roll your eyes.

"Whatever you say Akechi." You giggled, going back to eating.

When you were done eating and had finished making lunch, your dear knight in shining armor once again offered to clean up for you while you got dressed. Finally, you were out of your apartment and headed to school.

"Do you have any plans today?" Akechi asked as you walked towards the station, trying to make conversation.

"We'll see. I might end up going to the gym again." You hummed, earning an amused look from the detective.

"I didn't realize how serious you were about working out. Are you trying to lose weight or something?" He chirped, tilting his head a bit as he looked down at you, eyes scanning over you.

"No. I just want to get in shape. Plus, it's good to have a hobby that isn't cooking." You giggled, feeling a little nervous that he might suspect why you were really going.

"That's understandable. Having a variety of hobbies keeps life interesting." He said, clearly in a good mood after his filling breakfast as you entered the station.

You groaned in annoyance as you were forcefully pressed against the detective during the first subway ride. Akechi just gave you a look of sympathy, probably feeling the same amount of annoyance as you were.

**Lunch**

A confident smirk rested against Akechi's lips as you both exited the classroom. His maroon eyes were sparkling with pride.

"Don't get cocky Mr. Detective." You hummed as you walked beside him, trying to be more subtle about your confidence. 

"It's cute that you're still trying to beat me." He teased, looking down at you with that stupid smirk still on his face. 

"I can't wait to wipe that smirk off your face when I win our bet. Deflating your ego will be so satisfying." You quipped, earning a chuckle.

"I've never lost a bet, and I don't plan on losing one any time soon." He responded, making you roll your eyes.

Once you reached your lunch spot, he tapped his fingers excitedly against the table, waiting for you to hand him his lunch. You just rolled your eyes at the detectives, unable to deny that you were happy that he was always so excited for your cooking.

He didn't hesitate to snatch the box from you as you placed it on the table, carefully unwrapping it so that he could get to the contents inside. When he had it open, he looked up at you, a visibly strained smile sitting on his face. You could only assume that it was because he didn't want to wait for you to explain what you had made.

"Do I have to explain what I made today?" You asked, trying to hold back your laughter as you looked at the starving boy. He just nodded, keeping his mouth shut. "Well, today I made tonkatsu as the main course. For the sides, I sliced some cucumbers and drizzled them with rice vinegar, sugar, salt and toasted sesame seeds for a salad. I also steamed some white rice and heated up the leftover fries from last nights dinner." You told him, trying to elongate your speech as much as you could to mess with him. By the time you were done, the edges of his lips were twitching in annoyance. Although, you couldn't tell if he regretted having you explain today's lunch or not.

Without wasting another second, Akechi began eating his lunch, only stopping to occasionally take a sip of water. 

After you were both finished, he finally looked up at you and sighed, still looking a bit annoyed. You just leaned your elbows against the table and rested your chin on your hands, giving him a bright smile.

"It was good." Was all he said before he handed you back the lunch box, making you giggle. You knew that messing with him was going to quickly become your favorite pastime. As you were giggling your heart out, Akechi eventually gave in and cracked a smile. "Do I have to explain what I liked about it today?" He hummed with a teasing tone to his voice. All you did was nod in response, just like he had done. "The tonketsu was crisp and juicy. The hint of black pepper in the breading was perfect. It kept it from tasting too salty. The cucumber salad's flavor is delicate, just a bit tart, yet the sweetness from the cucumber balances it out perfectly. Once again, the fries were fantastic, even though they were just leftovers. They tasted just as good as they did last night. Thank you for this phenomenal meal." He finished with a wild smirk, clearly enjoying the redness that rushed onto your cheeks.

"You- Wh- I-" You stuttered, quickly looking away from him. He just chuckled in response. He knew exactly how to make you flustered. 

Once you put the lunch boxes back into your bag, you got out the papers that you still haven't finished grading and began working on them while Akechi studied for the final exam. You felt confident that you'd pass without doing one last study session. You just hoped it wouldn't make you lose the bet.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. You quickly put away the papers and mentally prepared yourself for the last test.

Once you reached the classroom, you stopped and looked up at Akechi. He looked down at you and tilted his head, hair gently falling out of place as he did so.

"Good luck Akechi." You said as you held out your hand. He eyed your hand for a moment before a smile twitched at his lips. He gripped your hand firmly and shook it.

"Good luck L/N." He hummed. Despite the competition between you both, you still wanted him to succeed.

**Afternoon**

Takuji was giving you a curious look as you both walked towards your lockers. You just raised an eyebrow as you looked over at him.

"Now that exams are over, what do you plan on doing?" He pried, leaning towards you as he spoke.

"I think tonight, I'll go to the gym again. Tomorrow, I'll go back in and work towards changing Shinji's heart some more." You told him once you reached your locker.

"Sounds like a plan!" He chirped, looking kind of relieved. _He must've been worried._ "Shall I collect more water and lemonade for you?" He offered as he closed his locker.

"Not tonight. Let's wait a little longer before you start collecting more drinks for me. I'm still worried that people might notice you buying all of the drinks in the vending machines." You chuckled awkwardly, earning a nod in response.

"Yeah, that's fair. A few people would give me weird looks when they watched me buy drink after drink. Well, I have student council president things to attend to, so I'll see you tomorrow L/N." Takuji laughed, giving you a wave before he turned around.

"See you!" You responded as he left. 

Once you had put your things away, you left the school and headed to Shujin.

The moment you walked into the school, you noticed an excited buzz in the air. Something had definitely happened recently, but you couldn't remember what exactly it was. You weren't sure if something new had happened or if the story progressed.

As you entered your classroom, you overheard what was causing the energy that vibrated throughout the school.

"Did you see that new counselor?"

"Oh my gosh! Dr. Maruki is so cute!"

"He's a little clumsy, but that makes him all the more precious!"

A handful of girls were squealing about Maruki. Your heart started to race as you remember just who Maruki was. He was going to be wandering around Shujin now, and there was a high chance that you'd end up talking to him soon, considering Kamoshida openly admitted to stalking and harassing you.

_Maybe this won't be so bad. I've been wanting to find a councilor or just someone to talk to about what happened. Out of everyone, Maruki would be able to help me the most, right?_

**Evening**

You slowly packed up your things as the students exited the classroom. Thankfully, there weren't nearly as many people today as there were the past two days.

You jumped in fright when you turned around, finding a certain popular councilor standing in the doorway of your classroom with a soft smile on his face. Maruki's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open when he watched you panic momentarily.

"Ah. I'm so sorry. You're Y/N L/N, right?" He asked gently, that kind smile returning to his face. His voice was so warm and full of kindness, it almost melted your heart.

"Y-yes I am." You stuttered, beginning to feel nervous. You didn't expect to meet him immediately, nor did you expect him to seek you out.

"My name is Takuto Maruki. I'm the new counselor here at Shujin. I just wanted to let you know, that if you'd ever like to talk, I'd be happy to listen. My job isn't limited to just students." Maruki said, chuckling softly as he finished speaking. "Before you ask, I was informed of certain students and staff members who were... effected by the recent events that transpired here at Shujin Academy revolving around Kamoshida."

"Oh I see. It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Maruki." You hummed and did your best to hide your shock. As much as you didn't want to admit it, he was a handsome man. You weren't surprised that all of the students were fawning over him.

"Please, no need to be so formal. You can just call me Maruki, or Doc, if that would make you feel more comfortable." He offered, making your heart race. You knew what was about to happen. You're pretty sure that you've figured out when a contract is formed between you and another person.

Just like you had expected, the world went dark and a soft voice began speaking in your mind.

 **_I am thou, thou art I...  
_ ** **_Thou hast acquired a new vow._ **

**_It shall become the wings of hope  
_ ** **_that carry thou beyond what is thought possible._ **

**_With the birth of the Councillor Persona,  
_** **_I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
_ ** ******_shall lead to the truth and new power..._**

 ****Once the world resumed around you, you took a deep breath and hoped he didn't notice how stressed you were. Even though this was most likely your sixth or seventh contract, the sound of Lavenza and the world suddenly freezing around you was something you were sure you'd never get used to.

"I appreciate the offer Doc. I'll... definitely take you up on that." You said, earning a pleased smile in response.

"Oh good! I'm usually here until around 6:30 P.M., so we'll have plenty of time to talk. If you're free now, we could have a chat if you'd like." He chuckled, making you smile. His presence was so calming. He almost gave you older brother vibes.

You took a moment to contemplate his offer. On one hand, you wanted to get stronger, but on the other, all of the emotional baggage you were carrying was going to start weighing you down eventually. It's happened to you before, so you knew the physical and emotional toll trauma could have on you. Plus, it would be nice to hear Maruki's thoughts on how and why you might've been brought into this world. Being well versed in psience, you figured he might have some interesting ideas.

"Yeah alright. I've got some free time." You agreed, watching as his smile widened, causing his eyes to close.

"Great! Please, follow me to the nurses office. We'll have more privacy there." He chirped, gesturing for you to follow him with a wave of his hand. Once you reached the office, he opened the door and guided you inside. "Before we get started, would you like a snack?" He asked, walking to a mini fridge that was by the medicine cabinets.

"Snacks?" You asked, perking up a bit. You were always a bit peckish after tutoring.

"Yes! I have apple juice, water, and tea. There's cookies and chips as well." He responded with the same amount of enthusiasm. 

"Apple juice and chips please." You giggled, feeling like a child as he handed you the items. He took an apple juice box for himself before he sat down in the chair next to the loveseat. 

"So, you're the English tutor here at Shujin. That's pretty impressive. How'd you get the position?" Maruki asked, making conversation before he started prying into the darker parts of your life.

"Principal Kobayakawa went to my high school in order to talk to me on the first day of school. I was called to the Principals office, and he asked me out of the blue. It was surprising to say the least." You laughed as you remembered how shocked you were.

"That's understandable. So you're fluent in English. Your accent. Hmm. Are you perhaps American?" He questioned, tilting his head a bit as he asked the question.

"Yes I am. I was born and raised in California." You hummed, nodding your head.

"Ahh the sunny state of California. I'd love to visit some day. What made you interested in learning Japanese? Wouldn't Spanish have been a better secondary language to learn?" He continued to pry.

"Yeah I suppose it would've been." You began, taking a quick sip of your apple juice. "Although, my Grandmother was the one to convince me to learn Japanese... in a way." You told him, watching as he leaned forward a bit and raised an eyebrow, like he was curious. "A few years ago, she had a really bad heart attack. Now, her heart can't pump blood around her body as well as it used to. Her dream was to travel the world, and one of the countries she's never been to is Japan. After learning that, I worked hard to learn the Japanese language, so that when I graduate, I can bring her here and give her the full experience of Japan." You explained, feeling your cheeks heat up a bit as you admitted that. Admitting something so personal made you feel a little embarrassed.

"That's a very sweet thing to do. You must love your family a lot. How've you been holding up now that you're so far away from home?" Maruki said, a soft look of sympathy on his face.

"I do. It's been... interesting. I'm not sure how else to describe my experience here so far." You chuckled awkwardly, not wanting to go too much into detail just yet. It was only your first meeting.

"Have you at least made some friends yet?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows a bit, making him look worried.

"Mhm! I've made a handful so far. Although, I'm not on the best of terms with some of them due to a misunderstanding." You mumbled the last part, immediately regretting telling him that. You didn't want to admit anything having to do with the Phantom Thieves just yet. You knew that he already knew who the Thieves were.

"Oh? Would you like to talk about what happened? You don't have to if you're not ready, but I'm willing and ready to listen." He stated calmly before he wrote something down on his clipboard.

"Long story short, one of my friends accused some of my other friends of something, and she made it seem like I was the one who told her about it, or that I wasn't really friends with them." You explained, earning a disheartened hum in response.

"That must've been very hard on you." He said softly, giving you a despondent look through his yellow tinted glasses. "How did that make you feel?" 

"Awful. Sick. Heartbroken." You admitted, unable to keep looking at him as you spoke. Just thinking about what happened was enough to make those feelings return.

"I see... Do you have any plans to talk to them? Either the group of friends or the friend who had done the accusing?" He questioned, still having that upset puppy look on his face.

"Yeah. I've talked to both parties. My friends and I plan on meeting up soon to talk about what happened. I've talked to the other friend, but we haven't discussed what happened." You said with a sigh, listening to him scribble something on his paper.

"Do you know what you want to say to the group when you meet up with them?" He asked, continuing the subject.

"I mostly just want to apologize to them. I completely froze up and panicked when they were being accused. I should've tried to say something at least." You told him, nervously shifting in your seat. He must've noticed your nerves taking hold of you because he scooted to the left side of his chair, getting closer to you in an attempt to comfort you.

"You want to apologize for something that wasn't your fault?" He questioned, giving you an inquisitive look. His tone was brighter than it was a minute ago, like he was trying to lighten the mood.

"I feel like I'm partly at fault at least. I should've tried harder, or done something sooner." You explained, earning what looked like to be another look of sympathy. 

"You're a very kind hearted person. I'm sure that your friends will understand your side of the story. I think we should wrap up our conversation for now. I'm sure you've had a long day. I would love to continue speaking with you in the future. Although, coming back for another session is completely up to you." Maruki said, that soft and warm tone returning to his voice.

"Alright. I would like to come back again when I have the time." You responded, standing from your chair. Maruki stood as well and walked towards the door.

"Well, I'm looking forwards to our next session. I'll see you then." Maruki finished, giving you another close eyed smile.

"Bye for now." You hummed as you walked off, heading towards the schools front entrance. As you headed home, you thought about your first therapy session with Maruki. Even though you've talked to multiple people about what had happened between you and the Thieves, and getting similar responses to what Maruki said, something about talking to Maruki about it made you feel more confident for what was to come.

Once you reached your apartment, you dropped your bag and sat at your kitchen table, wondering how you were going to bring up the topic of being from another world with Maruki. He might be the best person to talk to about the subject with, but you thought bringing it up out of the blue wouldn't be the best way to tell him about it. He might not believe you.

Despite thinking about it for nearly an hour, you couldn't come up with a way to make him believe you without telling him that you knew what was going to be happening for the next year, including that he would become the next ruler of Mementos.

Eventually, you gave up and worked on making dinner. As you ate, that loneliness you felt when Akechi didn't show up to school that day crawled its way into your heart. You had to admit it, you missed Akechi's presence

**May 14th. Saturday. Morning.**

You squeaked as you stretched your body, letting the light filtering in from your window slowly bring your consciousness back. You really didn't want to get out of bed. It was so warm and comfortable. You knew that you had to go back into Shinji's palace today. Even though you only went to the gym twice this week, you hoped you had at least gotten a little stronger. _Maybe I should buy protein drinks._

Finally, you crawled out of bed, and started your day, brushing your teeth and hair, as well as washing your face. First, you worked on making breakfast, which consisted of eggs, ham and rice. While it was cooking, you began preparing for lunch. 

You exhaled through your nose as you sat alone at your kitchen table, wondering if you could convince Akechi to join you for a meal that wasn't lunch again soon. _You're playing a dangerous game Y/N, getting attached to the villain like this._

Once you had finished eating, you finished cooking lunch for the two of you and packed it into your lunch boxes. After getting dressed and putting the bento boxes into your school bag, you left your apartment and headed towards the elevator.

As you exited the elevator and into the lobby of your apartment complex. You made eye contact with the pompous detective, who had a shit eating grin on his face as you approached him. You quickly raised an eyebrow and glanced outside, wondering why he was waiting inside when it wasn't raining.

"Good morning L/N." Akechi hummed, a smug tone to his voice.

"Good morning Akechi." You responded hesitantly, feeling a little concerned that he was being so openly unprincely in public. 

"You aren't going to be busy tomorrow, right?" He asked, that smirk never leaving his face.

"I don't have anything planned..." You mumbled, taking a few steps away from him. He chuckled at your cautiousness before he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He held it up in front of you, then spread his fingers, revealing that there were two.

"Great. Then you'll be free to join me at Madarame's art exhibit in the afternoon." He said, clearly pleased with his little surprise. You gasped softly and your look of concern immediately changed into an expression of pure delight.

"Akechi!" You squealed and snatched the tickets out of his hand, scanning them to make sure they were actually tickets to the art exhibit. "This is so exciting! I can't wait!" You giggled before you launched yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing your chest into his as you pushed yourself onto the tips of your toes. "You're the best." You murmured into his neck.

Like usual, his body stiffened against yours as you leaned your weight into him. It took him a moment to process what was happening. Unlike usual, he raised his arms and rested the one that wasn't holding his briefcase on your back, underneath your shoulder blades, and the other right above your hips. He didn't hug you back nearly as tightly as you were squeezing him, but you were praying that he couldn't feel how fast your heart was beating.

You gently leaned your head against his shoulder and stared at the tickets in your hand, realizing that you would be hanging out with Akechi in a very public place. Not to mention that people would most likely be bringing their best cameras to take pictures of the art that was being showcased. If you both ended up going, there would be no way to avoid the fans, paparazzi, and journalists.

"Akechi... there's going to be so many people there tomorrow. Are you sure you want to go with me?" You asked, knowing how much he cared about his public image. You were pretty sure that you wouldn't ruin his image. You'd just cause every reporter and talk show host to ask him who you were and if you were both dating.

"Trust me. I've already thought about that and every other possible con to going to the art exhibit with you." He began slowly, voice soft and low. You did your best to suppress the shudder the slithered down your spine. His voice was so close to your ear. "However, I did say that I would take you as a way to thank you for cooking for me so often." He hummed, keeping his voice quiet.

"So what you're saying is, is that you're only going because you feel like you have to." You teased, taking note of the way his upper hand began to tremble. You knew you had to let go soon. It took him a moment to respond to your teasing.

"Precisely." He murmured, a slight sarcastic tone to his voice. You couldn't help but wonder why he always seemed to shutdown so quickly when it came to affection. Being the Ace Detective Prince, you figured that he could get as much love and affection as he wanted. 

With one last squeeze, you let go and pulled away from him, taking a few steps back. Once Akechi blinked, he seemed to be back, brain fully functioning once again. He held his hand out, gesturing to the tickets.

"Nope." You said, pulling the tickets away from him. He raised an eyebrow and dropped his hand. "If you want your ticket, you'll have to join me for breakfast tomorrow morning." You giggled, feeling giddy that you managed to come up with a way to get Akechi to come over again. Akechi gave an exasperated sigh, but you could see the tips of his lips tilt upwards.

"Do I have to?" He asked as he followed you towards the door.

"My dear knight in shining armor, you don't have to do anything you don't want to." Was all you responded with, earning an eye roll from the detective. Once you were out the door, Akechi put more effort into being princely. He widened his eyes to give him that innocent look, and ever so slightly smiled, giving him that friendly vibe that he was always radiating.

"You better not lose those tickets. I went through quite a bit to get them." He admitted as you both walked towards the station, making a bright smile grip your cheeks.

**Lunch**

"So, how do you think you did on your exams?" Akechi asked, making conversation as he walked beside you like usual. You could feel the confidence radiating off of him in waves.

"I think I did pretty well. Except for maybe the third test." You hummed, worried that being distracted by the Thieves was going to be your downfall. You could feel Akechi looking down at you as you spoke. "You?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if I got a perfect score." He bragged, making you shake your head. 

"Mhm. Whatever you say." You said, bumping his arm with your elbow. He stayed quiet for a moment, looking down at you with an expectant gaze. You raised an eyebrow and tilted your head, wondering why he was giving you that look. "What? Are you expecting a reward or something?" You questioned, watching his expression change to one of joy. _Oh you little shit._

"If you're offering, I'd love it if you made me pancakes again if I get a perfect score." He chirped, giving away that he had most likely calculated that you would tease him like that.

"You manipulative ass." You chuckled, rubbing your temple with your hand. It was easy to forget just how calculating the man next to you was. A feeling akin to dread tickled your bones as you thought about just how much he might be manipulating you with his calculated movements. "If you wanted more pancakes, you should've just asked."

"As great as it would be to have them as often as I want, earning them makes them all the more satisfying." He explained, smiling at you before he turned his gaze back to the path ahead of you.

Once you reached your lunch table, Akechi waited a bit more patiently than yesterday for you to hand him his lunch. Once it was in his clutches, he removed the cloth and opened it, staring down at what you had created with a smile on his face before looking back up at you.

"For lunch today, I decided to try making something that I rarely ever make. Meatballs with ketchup, coleslaw, green beans in a garlic butter sauce and rice." You told him, earning a nod in response. You watched as he skillfully used his fork to slice up the meatballs and take a bite, raising an eyebrow slightly when he chewed.

While he sampled the various dishes in his lunch box, you began eating as well, pretty proud of yourself with how the meal came out. You weren't really a fan of meatballs, but these didn't taste all that bad.

"The meatballs are well seasoned and the small amount of onion adds the perfect amount of bite to it. The coleslaw is nice and crunchy, not overly dressed. The garlic green beans really pull the dish together. Simply delicious." He hummed, eyeing you as he did his little spiel. 

"I'm glad you like it." You said like usual, trying to keep yourself from getting flustered for once. Even though he complimented nearly every meal you made, it felt like it was getting harder and harder to stay calm whenever he told you why he enjoyed what you made.

Once you had finished eating, you stared out of the window for the rest of lunch, relaxing while you had the chance. You were sure that your evening was going to be brutal. You'd definitely be sleeping good tonight.

**Afternoon**

You sighed softly as you exited the classroom with Takuji at your side, mentally preparing yourself for a possibly dangerous trip into the Metaverse. You had big plans today when it came to invading Shinji's palace once again. You wanted to get at least half way through, or as close as you could to the half way mark. You were worried that you've been taking too much time. Someone was bound to get suspicious of Takuji buying all of the water and lemonade from the vending machines around the city. You were also worried that if you messed around in Shinji's palace for too long, he'd start becoming aware of your presence.

As you both walked towards your lockers, Takuji stayed silent, causing you to worry a bit. He used to be fairly quiet when around you at first, but now that you were both friends, he usually chatted up a storm. Glancing at him, you noticed he had an unsettling look on his face. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were tilted ever so slightly downwards. His eyes darted to yours, making you flinch.

"Is... everything alright?" You asked, a little nervous of what his answer would be. He exhaled harshly through his nose before his features softened into a look of guilt and pity.

"I'm afraid that I have some bad news." He began, looking like a hurt puppy. "We're- Well, you're officially on a deadline. Shinji-san suspects my father of leaking the video of him visiting that fox farm. My father didn't go into too much detail, but he did say that he suspected that he was going to be fired by next Saturday." He said, glancing at you once more.

You could feel yourself pale as you took in the information the student council president presented to you. That made everything so much more stressful for you. You now had a week to get through a palace alone. 

"Damn..." You breathed, feeling the crushing weight of the expectations placed on you start to weigh you down. "Alright... just... get me more of those drinks." You told him, praying that you wouldn't let him, or the rest of the company down. 

"Yes ma'am." He responded solemnly, still looking a bit guilty for putting that pressure on you. You couldn't blame him though. It wasn't his fault that the CEO of some major clothing brand was off his rocker. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asked, looking a little hopeful. 

"Hmm." You hummed, putting your hand to your chin. It's been a while since you've attempted to fix your gun. While having a bow is nice and all, it takes too long in between shots. Due to its silent, yet slow nature, it's best for sniping and singular hits, whereas your pistol would be loud, but fast. "Do you know anyone who would be able to fix a gun?" You questioned, tilting your head a bit.

His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, before he shook his head. "No, but I'll look and let you know what I find!" He said, puffing out his chest as a determined look seeped into his dark brown eyes. You couldn't help but giggle at his eagerness. His genuine want to help in your endeavor lifted a bit of the pressure from your shoulders. Takuji gave you a sheepish smile and chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head as he realized how excited he got.

"I really appreciate the help Takuji. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this without you." You said, mumbling towards the end, cheeks heating up in embarrassment, but you meant it.

"Of course! We can't let corrupt people get away with what they're doing." He said, that determination returning to his eyes. You gave him a firm nod in response. 

Once you said your goodbyes, you headed towards the subway and to Shujin. Takuji's energy had rejuvenated you. Now, you felt like you were ready for anything that was thrown your way.

**Evening**

You didn't waste any time packing your things and leaving your classroom. As much as you hoped to see Makoto today and talk with her a bit more, that'd have to wait. You had a game plan to enact and a deadline to meet. You couldn't doddle.

While you sat on the subway to Shibuya, your leg wouldn't stop bouncing from the adrenaline running through your veins. The moment the train reached your station, you jumped up from your seat and nearly sprinted out of the door, heading straight towards Takuji. 

His eyes widened slightly as he watched you approach him quickly. "Here. I'll send you the information about having your gun repaired later." He said, realizing that you were in a rush.

"Thanks! You're the best!" You chirped as you snatched the bag of drinks from him, then proceeded to zoom up the escalator.

"Be careful L/N!" Takuji yelled after you. All you did was wave your hand in response.

After dropping off a handful of drinks at your apartment, you darted to Shinji's palace, praying that you wouldn't run into that pretty detective who was most likely suspicious of what you were doing. With a few taps on your phone screen, you were once again in that strange farm.

Using the Metanav app to jump to the furthest saferoom in, you began wandering through the corridors once again. You waited to summon Agathion and Archangel. You knew that the more beings who were in your party, the higher the chance you had of getting caught. 

It didn't take you long to run into the first shadow. Sadly, it had come around a corner, catching you by surprise. The creature immediately noticed you and raced towards you, sirens ringing in your ears as you pulled out your sword and stabbed at it.

The shadow burst into a pool of darkness, then reassembled itself to reveal two Jack Frosts and a woman with a fan in each hand and one covering her face. You couldn't remember her full name, but you knew the beginning started with 'Ame.' 

"Agathion! Archangel!" You summoned, pointing your needle at the shadows. The two personae made their appearances beside you, ready for battle.

"Hee hoo!" Chirped one of the Jack Frosts as it sent a Mabufu at you. You didn't move, letting it hit you, knowing you were unaffected by ice skills. Archangel, having a mind of his own, lunged at the Jack Frost who had attacked you and slashed away at it, dealing quite a bit of damage. Agathion casted Zio on the Jack Frost, finishing it off.

After a few more attacks, it was just you three against the woman with the fans. She waved her fans, whipping up a whirlwind and sent it towards you. The attack hit all of you. It wasn't that painful, but the little cuts the attack left all over your body made your skin sting.

Finally, you destroyed the shadow, allowing you to continue in your endeavor.

You weren't sure how long you had been traveling through the palace, but after fighting nearly a dozen shadows and finding two new safe rooms, you were absolutely drained. You thanked Agathion and Archangel before you dismissed them. You were ready to go home.

Your body ached from exhaustion and the cuts that you didn't have enough SP to heal. Thankfully, they weren't obvious or lethal, just painful. You could patch them up easily at your apartment. 

As you walked out of the Metaverse and back into the real world, a nervous feeling pricked at your skin. The icy sensation of being watched squirmed against the back of your mind. You glanced around the darkened city and mass of citizens, only to make eye contact with a pale faced Maruki. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open like he had just seen a ghost. Well, you did appear out of thin air, so perhaps he did think you were a ghost. He held your gaze, curiosity, shock and recognition swirling around in his chocolate eyes. He gave you a little wave as the color in his face returned, though you could practically see the gears turn in his head. He definitely had a million questions for you.

You clenched your jaw as shock also filled your veins, upset that there was nothing you could do about what had just occurred. You wondered if it was purely coincidence that he had seen you leave the Metaverse just like when he had seen the Thieves, or if he had been waiting for you.

As irritating as having been caught was, you did your best to calm your nerves, knowing that you'd have to talk to him about what happened. You wanted nothing more than to go home and lay down, but of course, luck just wasn't on your side. This wasn't how, or when, you wanted him to find out that you had access to the Metaverse like the Thieves do. After closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you approached him quickly. Despite towering over you, Maruki took a few steps back, seeming to still be in shock.

"Good evening L/N-chan." Maruki said, obviously trying to keep his cool. You were also doing your best to seem calm, though, you couldn't stop yourself from screaming internally as you looked up at him.

"Come on." Was all you said as you walked past him and in the direction of your apartment. The sound of Maruki scrambling to follow you confirmed that he had heard you. You would've preferred to have talked to him in a more public place, since you didn't think it was the best idea to bring a grown man to your apartment, but your wounds were still bleeding. You didn't want them staining your peacoat. Blood was always a pain to get out of thick fabric.

He silently walked beside you as you guided him towards your apartment complex, glancing at you occasionally. You could practically feel the confusion and curiosity rolling off him in waves. All you could do was clench your fists, trying to convince yourself not to make a run for it.

"This one." You said, gesturing to the building you lived in with a nod of your head. Maruki followed you into the elevator and into your apartment, still just as silent. You hissed through your teeth as you removed your peacoat and hung it on the coat hanger by the door. Glancing down, you noticed that your white undershirt was stained red in various places.

"Are-" Maruki began, only to be cut off by the wave of your hand.

"I'm fine. Just have to clean myself up. Make yourself comfortable. I need to take care of my cuts and clothes." You breathed as you shuffled to your bedroom to get a fresh pair of clothes, then to your bathroom. You filled the bathtub with cold water and carefully removed your shirt and bra. First, you ran the articles of clothing under cold water to get as much of the blood out as possible, then you let the clothes soak in the bathtub, hoping that it would draw the rest out while you cleaned your cuts.

The worst wound was on your side, right beneath your left breast. Thankfully, you'd be able to heal it tomorrow. Either you'd have to get up early and head into mementos to heal yourself, or you'd go after you parted ways with Akechi. You assumed that he wouldn't want to spend any more time with you after the art exhibit, which you were completely fine with.

Once you had finished scrubbing the blood from your shirt, you laid it out to dry and prayed that you had been quick enough to clean it so that it wouldn't stain.

As you walked out of the bathroom, you found Maruki sitting at your kitchen table where Akechi usually sat, twiddling his thumbs.

"Your apartment is very nice." He said as he turned in his seat, watching as you approached him.

"Thanks. It's expensive though. Shujin barely pays me enough to pay bills and eat." You mumbled as you took a seat across from him, carefully eyeing him. You were nervous to say the least. Maruki could use his persona's power in the real world, meaning you had to be careful with what you said or he might try something on you.

"Oh? You're parents aren't helping you pay rent?" He asked, tilting his head. You shook your head at his question.

"No. I'm on my own." You told him, watching as his eyes widened slightly. You did your best to prepare yourself for the barrage of questions he was bound to ask as he opened his mouth to speak once more.

"Are... you alright? That was blood on your shirt, wasn't it?" He questioned. It wasn't the question you were expecting him to ask, but you appreciated the concern. 

"I'm fine. I'll be able to heal myself soon. I'll just be sore until I can go back." You said. Maruki leaned forwards and clasped his hands in front of his face, resting his elbows on the table.

"Back into the cognitive world?" He asked quietly, voice nearly an octave lower than it usually was. You could tell that he was trying to hold back his excitement.

"Y-yes." You stuttered, unable to remember just how much he knew about the Metaverse. A smile curled onto his cheek, making him look like a kid in a candy store. 

"You appeared out of thin air right in front of my eyes. How did you do that?" He continued, starting to dig into what had just happened.

"Why should I trust you with that information? How do you even know about the Metaverse?" You questioned him, even though you were pretty sure you could trust him. Despite being exhausted, scared, and in pain, you knew that you couldn't let go of your oblivious façade just yet. You could tell your rebuttal caught him off guard due to the flicker of shock that flashed across his face.

"Those are fair questions. I used to be a psientific researcher. Currently, I'm writing a research paper about how cognitive psience can help treat people with depression and other mental illnesses. My colleagues and I were never able to prove the existence of a cognitive world, but we believed it was a possibility. Seeing you appear out of thin air like you did, practically confirmed its existence to me." He explained to you. "So... will you please answer my question?" He pleaded, looking a little anxious himself.

"...There's an app on my phone that allows me to go into the Metaverse, or cognitive world. It just appeared on my phone one day, but I don't know how it works." You explained, unable to stop your leg from bouncing due to your nerves. Maruki, being the sharp man that he was, noticed your worsening anxiety.

"As excited as I am to discuss this with you, would you prefer to wait until you've had some time to relax and heal? I'm sure you've been through a lot today." He said softly, dampening your nerves a bit. You just shook your head.

"Let's get this over with. Ask away." You sighed, leaning back in your chair, squeezing handfuls of the sweat pants you had put on. Maruki looked conflicted, like he wasn't sure if he should continue your little talk now or later. Eventually, he exhaled heavily and reached into his pocket, pulling out a pocketbook and a pen. He quickly wrote something down before looking back up at you.

"Tell me. Are you a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" He asked, immediately going into the big questions. 

"No. I'm not." You told him, watching as he quickly wrote that down.

"Are you aware of the identities of the Phantom Thieves?" He continued, a small smile on his face. All you did was nod in response. Maruki once again wrote down your answer. "What are their names?" This question of his made you raise your eyebrow in confusion. You knew he had seen them exit the Metaverse when they stole Kamoshida's treasure. For now, you'd go along with it, at least until you were ready to tell him that you already knew pretty much everything.

"While I do know who they are, I don't see how this pertains to what just happened." You said, wanting to stay on topic. Maruki's eyes widened before he gave you a sheepish smile.

"You're right. I'm getting off track. Sorry about that." He chuckled awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I remember hearing about a similar incident to what happened to Kamoshida at your school. Were you the one who changed that person's heart? The Black Wolf is what they were called I believe?" You hesitated for a moment.

"Yes. I was the one who changed that girls heart." You admitted, listening as he scribbled that information down.

"Incredible." He breathed before he put his hand to his chin, looking like he was deep in thought. "How do you do it?" He continued to interrogate.

"I go into that world, and steal the source of a persons distorted desires. From what I've seen, it's usually some kind of materialistic thing. For example, when I changed my schoolmates heart, I took a promise ring that was the source of her distorted desires." You explained, wondering if he'd wrap up his questions anytime soon.

"I see. I see. And there aren't any drawbacks?" He questioned, turning the page so that he could write more.

"It depends... If I destroy the cognitive version of a person while trying to get the source of their desires, it'll cause them to die in real life." You mumbled. Maruki just stared at you, pen frozen against the paper. It took him a moment to fully comprehend what you had said. After blinking a few times, he started writing again.

"How do you know they'll die in real life?" He asked slowly, like he wasn't sure if he should ask it or not. You immediately regretted your response. Your exhaustion was making you careless.

"It's a theory for the most part." You began, trying to come up with an answer as quickly as you could. "In order to get the source of a persons desires, I have to make them regret their actions and accept the change. I believe that if I were to completely destroy a persons desires, I'll destroy not only their twisted desires, but as well as all other desires, including their desire to live." Your reasoning was messy, but you felt like it made sense.

You couldn't tell if Maruki believed you or not. He just stared at you once again. Slowly, he nodded and noted down your response. "That's very interesting. It makes sense that that would happen." He murmured as he continued scribbling. Once he had finished writing, he clicked his pen and closed his pocketbook. "Thank you for the information L/N-chan. I really appreciate it. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few more questions at a later date." He said as he stood from his seat.

"Yeah. Alright." You mumbled as you stood and walked to the door with him. "You aren't going to tell anyone, right?" You asked, narrowing your eyes a bit.

"Not at all. This conversation is completely confidential. Only you and I will know what transpired here." He reassured, making you relax your shoulders, causing you to realize just how tense you had been. "Goodnight L/N. I hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks. Get home safe." You hummed and waved at him as he walked down the hallway towards the elevator.

Once your door was shut, you sighed and walked into your kitchen, rummaging around for some food and some plastic wrap. After eating a small meal, you wrapped your wounds with the wrap and took a quick shower. 

Finally, you were in bed and able to sleep. You happily welcomed the warm darkness that consumed your mind as your consciousness drifted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to kiss Maruki on the mouth. God I can't wait to write more interactions between him and reader. Just gotta remember that this is an Akechi x reader book,,,, haha,,, haha
> 
> I might take a break from this book for a week or two. Maybe. We'll see. I don't want to get burnt out and end up abandoning it lol. (Despite being excited to write this chapter, I struggled to finish it hhhh. Hopefully the chapter wasn't too bad.) I wanna write some oneshots and mini stories. I think I'm gunna branch out and write for some other characters and fandoms as well. Zero kiryu, Sting Eucliffe, Gray Fullbuster, maybe even Akira 👀👀 Currently working on a thing for the boy who lives rent free in my mind ;;
> 
> Join the discord for teasers, memes, art, and more <3  
> [Discord invite!](https://discord.gg/FBfj9B686V)

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! ♡


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